Heaven's Mirror
by My Endless Love
Summary: Ever since her disappearance from his life five years ago, Zero Kiriyu has come to the conclusion that he no longer has the capacity to love. On a mission however, he stumbles across a child with the mirror image of his face. Just what is going on? Zeki.
1. Prologue

**Heaven's Mirror**

_A Work of Fiction by My Endless Love_

* * *

Full Summary: Zero Kiriyu is the infamous leader of the Hunter Association, and is regarded as one of the most powerful figures balancing the strife between humans and vampires. However, he is haunted by the images of the woman he once loved, and the event that changed their lives forever.

Ever since her disappearance from his life five years ago, he has come to the conclusion that he no longer has the capacity to love. On a mission however, he stumbles across a child with the mirror image of his face. Just what is going on?

* * *

Author's Note: To be honest, I was into the **Vampire Knight** fandom years and years ago. I started with the anime, but never ended up finishing it. The other day I decided to get back into the manga once again (after a long hiatus) and it renewed my love of _Zeki_. Even without the whole "Kaname is her ancestor" plot twist, I was always a Zeki supporter from beginning to end. It saddened me that there weren't so many Zeki fanfics in the archive, so I decided why not write one?

I originally had this storyline in my head for a very long time, but I decided to use it for this story since it was just so perfectly angsty for Zero's character. This is my first time writing a VK fanfic, so I apologise if the character personalities aren't quite right. I do hope you guys enjoy it!

I would like to warn you though — that this is an **M rated fanfic**, so it does have very _dark_ themes and sexual content in the later chapters.

* * *

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

He woke up from the nightmare panting, as cold sweat dripped down the vast expanse of his back. It had felt so incredibly real, that he could still hear the fading echoes of her screams, before her life slowly seeped away. He could still see the scarlet red of blood lingering on his fingertips, and the scent of decay brutally invading his senses. What had truly haunted him more so than anything else however, were her eyes.

Those ruby orbs that had gazed so unwaveringly, so trustingly into his — even though he had taken her life without a moment's hesitation. Zero's eyes wandered to the filtering light through his bedroom window, the crescent moon almost mocking his state of despair. A self-deprecatory smirk appeared on his strikingly handsome features, as his amethyst coloured eyes rivalled the beauty of the moon itself. How ironic was it, that this once mesmerising scene, was now a constant sign of his downfall into madness?

After all, he had witnessed the very same picturesque scene. . . every single day for the last five years. To him, it represented the cruelty of what a meaningless life entailed. Day after day, his daily life events seemed to meld into one another so seamlessly, that it felt as if time itself had not moved at all.

His reflection was a gateway into the demon within him, desperately clawing to escape. It was his "true self", a blood-thirsty creature risen from the ashes of the earth. A morbid beast that didn't quite belong in this world, and yet continued to exist without any logical explanation. He was a monster. . . a monster that truly signified the meaning behind the word, "inhumane".

How he loathed his very existence, and dearly wished for someone to simply end it all. He had not had a good night's sleep since she had left his side, and nightmares lurked behind him like a shadow bound to its owner for all eternity. Zero sighed, as his palm brushed against his forehead, and his silver bangs draped over his face.

The irony of it all, was the very concept that his life was viewed as "perfection" in the eyes of others. He had everything a man could ever want — money, fame and power. His gradual rising as President of the Hunter Association was neither predetermined nor a surprise. To others, he was a man of great skill, passion, and cunning.

All the factors that a benevolently great leader should possess. Because of this, he had accumulated a large number of supporters that would follow him to the ends of the earth and back if he ever wished. Women came flocking to him in the masses, beauties from all over the world by his feet, and yet — none of them ever captured his interest for very long. After all, the very last remnant of his humanity — his heart — had been taken away long ago, by a girl with the very same ruby eyes as his dream-like nightmare.

Zero mentally berated himself for even thinking about her after all these years. Her features were burned so vividly within his mind, that even time itself could not erase her continual presence within his life. It seemed as if it was just yesterday that she had disappeared altogether, and he could still remember the feeling of having the crevice of his heart, torn right out of his chest.

_Just why are you doing this to yourself, Zero? Isn't it about time that you _**_moved on_**_? After all, maybe she could have just been a figment of your imagination._

At this point in time, the very concept that she was simply a manifestation of his inner desires were quite plausible. After all, if she was truly real — how could she have vanished so easily from his grasp? He had been searching for her for years on end, and yet there had been no remaining traces of her existence. Perhaps, this was just a sign of his divine punishment for sins that he had committed in another life.

However, his thoughts were quickly interrupted by the sound of a familiar ringtone, as he automatically groaned in frustration. There could only be one person he knew of with the complete audacity to call him at this god forsaken hour of the night.

"What do you want, Kaito?" Zero growled, his patience running thin already. This just wasn't his night, and he dreaded to hear whatever pompous request his childhood 'friend' had in mind. After all, a call from him — no less at this hour, was something worth fearing.

"Is that how you greet your one and only _friend_? You sound terrible" Kaito replied, with mock sympathy.

"I think anyone will sound terrible if you call them at this hour of the night. I swear the next time I see you, I _will_ gouge your eyes out."

"Cruel words, Zero. You need to lighten up. You know what you need? A drink" Kaito stated with the utmost finality.

Zero groaned, as he snapped in reply, "That's your solution to everything! I'm exhausted, and I don't think I can handle seeing your face anymore than necessary."

"Meet me in 10 minutes. I'll be waiting."

And with that, the phone line went dead. He was incredibly tempted to throw the damned contraption against the wall, but decided to think better of it. _Murdering him in person will be far more satisfying, after all the things he has put me through, _he thought sadistically.

With great reluctance, he threw on the first article of clothing within his line of vision, before leaving the apartment.

* * *

Author's Note: I know that this was rather short, but it's just the "introduction" of the story. The future chapters will be a lot longer, since there's just so much that's going to happen ^_^ Please review and tell me what you guys think so far, your opinions will always be appreciated!

**— My Endless Love**


	2. Mirror

**Heaven's Mirror**

_A Work of Fiction by My Endless Love_

* * *

Full Summary: Zero Kiriyu is the infamous leader of the Hunter Association, and is regarded as one of the most powerful figures balancing the strife between humans and vampires. However, he is haunted by the images of the woman he once loved, and the event that changed their lives forever.

Ever since her disappearance from his life five years ago, he has come to the conclusion that he no longer has the capacity to love. On a mission however, he stumbles across a boy with the mirror image of his face. Just what is going on?

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you for the lovely reviews in the last chapter! I never actually thought that I would get such positive feedback, and they really inspired me to continue writing. I hope that you guys will enjoy this update, just as much as the last ^_^

* * *

**Chapter 2: Mirror**

As he slid into the seat next to Kaito, he muttered a greeting. "I'll have a beer," Zero said to the bartender, who quickly busied himself with preparing the drink. The Hunter Association President after all, was notorious for his terrible temperament, and no human being alive would ever want to be on the receiving end of his wrath.

Kaito chuckled as he surveyed his best friend's demeanor, commenting "With that much killing intent around you, it's a wonder that all the vampires in this town didn't go fleeing for the hills."

"I won't hesitate to wring your neck, you know?"

"Lighten up, spoil sport! You won't be attracting any girls with that kind of attitude tonight," Kaito smirked, clearly amused.

His amusement however, quickly dissipated upon the closer inspection of his companion. "You don't look so good. Have you been stocking up on your blood tablets? You need a break, and you've got to stop taking everything so _seriously_. All you've been doing nowadays is throwing yourself into your work. I understand that we're low on hunters as it is, but if you collapse on the job — just _who_ exactly is going to have to save_ your_ ass?"

Zero smirked at his demand, replying "Only _you_ would have the guts to tell the leader of the Hunter Association what to do".

"We're childhood friends, what do you expect? The day that I bow down to your feet to worship your 'oh so godly skills in slaughtering vampires' is when hell freezes over" Kaito retorted, relieved that Zero wasn't looking quite so terrible as before.

"I appreciate your concern Kaito, but I'm fine, really. I can take care of myself. _You_, on the other hand should worry about yourself. What's this thing that I've been hearing about you parading around with _married_ women?"

"It's not my fault when they're practically _offering_ themselves to me. Their husbands obviously haven't been satisfying them as well as they should be, if they're seeking out **my** expertise," he chortled.

Zero rolled his eyes in response, unsurprised at his friend's philandering ways. They'd known each other all their lives, and Kaito had established himself as a renowned ladies' man the moment he could walk. His smooth talking ways were bound to be the demise of him. He couldn't help but be amused by how the two of them were the complete polar opposites, in every way possible.

Whilst Kaito could never have enough women in his steed, Zero struggled with finding ways for them to leave him alone. He found them so incredibly troublesome, and viewed them being on the same level as flies that simply wouldn't go away. Kaito found this view of life to be the "utmost disgrace to mankind" and "defying the very will of nature".

Zero clearly remembered the day when Kaito outright accused him of "swinging the other way" and he was so certain that he was going to decapitate his head then and there, if only that idiot Kaien Cross hadn't gotten in the way.

His thoughts were interrupted however, as he felt Kaito nudge him and murmur, "Hey Zero, what do you think of that beauty over there, near the corner?"

His amethyst orbs were immediately drawn to the direction Kaito had pointed at, and was met with a girl possessing the most beautiful, scarlet eyes.

Her long, red hair cascaded down her back with the utmost grace and femininity that a woman could possibly possess. Her long legs although were crossed underneath the table, were quite an impressive sight to behold — even from the distance that separated them. Noticing Zero's lingering eyes on her, a flirtatious smile graced her features, as her luscious eyes feigned indifference.

Kaito smirked at this revelation, as he whispered, "That vixen is all over you, Zero. Make a move, she's all yours."

The connection was immediately broken between the two, as his eyes quickly returned to where they were before. "Not interested" Zero stated bluntly.

"Seriously? You'd turn down _that_? Are you insane or what?" Kaito blurted out, appalled at his utter indifference.

"She's just another woman, nothing more. Besides, appearances aren't everything" he responded, calmly sipping his drink.

"Maybe you should just marry your work instead Zero, since that's the only thing that could _ever_ pique the slightest interest from you. The girl who manages to snare you. . . damn, she must be _something_" whistled Kaito teasingly.

Zero couldn't help but chuckle at that. God knows how long Kaito had been attempting to set him up with numerous women, but to no avail. His expression quickly faded to sadness however, as he realised the hollow truth of Kaito's seemingly harmless teasing.

It was true that all he did was work nowadays, but for what purpose? Why did he drown himself with such vigor, for something he didn't truly care for? In all honesty, the position of President meant scarcely anything to him, in terms of sentimental value. At first he had justified his actions by claiming he was doing it for the eradication of all vampires.

After all, weren't they the source of his life's misery? They had taken away everything that was dear to him, everything that he had ever once thought was important in his life.

But now, even that cause seemed futile and meaningless. After countless deaths upon deaths, he felt no satisfaction from it any longer. Just what was he doing? Just _why_ was he doing this?

"Oi, Zero. Are you alright there? Are you even _listening_ to me?"

The voice sliced through his reverie all too quickly, bringing him back to the face of reality. Before he could reply however, he felt a foreign touch that had daringly invaded his personal space. Zero was all too tempted to whip out his bloody rose then and there and interrogate the intruder, but forced himself to remain calm. Whomever was gutsy enough to approach _him_ of all people, was either a complete idiot or extremely full of themselves.

He turned around, only to cross paths once more with twin pools of red. It was the woman Kaito had directed his attention to earlier.

She had placed her hand on his arm, stroking it in such a way that the meaning was undeniably clear. Her eyes never broke contact with his, as she falsely interpreted his silence as acceptance. She proceeded to tantalizingly press her body against his, and murmured seductively into his ear, "I saw you looking at me earlier. . . are you interested in having a _taste_?"

To any other man, her offer and actions would have ignited intense desire, no doubt. For Zero however, it was more discomforting than anything else. He saw reflected in her eyes, thoughts and feelings that he had seen so many times before.

Lust, for something she couldn't have. The thrill of challenge, of obtaining something everyone else desired. The allure of danger, and what mysteries he had to offer. The temptation of conquering something which she had no power over.

Zero refrained from scoffing out loud at how utterly superficial these desires were. He prided himself in being able to easily see through a person, and everything they stood for — just by looking into their eyes. A person's eyes after all, were the entrance into their very soul, their beliefs, their utmost secrets and inner passions. They were the most expressive and bewitching tool that could be exploited, and when used correctly, could succumb even the most powerful and dangerous foes to their very knees.

"Sorry. . . but I'll have to pass on your. . . very _kind_ proposal" Zero replied coldly, his amethyst orbs frosted over with disgust.

He proceeded to remove her hand from his arm, in a fashion that could only be described as cruel. He could hear Kaito assuage her, saying "Don't worry about this sour guy right here. . . he's like this to practically everyone."

To Zero's surprise however, her face looked more so hurt than anything else. She had begun to chew at her bottom lip, in a feeble attempt to stop the tears from escaping at the corner of her eyes. _Maybe I went too far this time. . . _he thought, the feeling of guilt washing over him in waves.

As unrelenting and merciless as he was, Zero still had a weakness for a woman's tears. Even back then, when she cried, he could never ever find the right words to say. Most of the time, he always ended up saying the wrong things or refused to reveal his true emotions. . . and she'd leave in anger, seeking out the one person who could give her the comfort, the promise of happiness he never could.

_Back then. . ._

Zero couldn't help but feel shaken at the long buried memories, as his knuckles inexplicably tightened their grip on the table side. Seeing those ruby orbs in front of him, so open. . . and so incredibly _innocent_. . . it reminded him so much of the way she used to look at him.

"_My name is Yuuki. What's yours? I know that the event must have frightened you so but. . . I hope that we can be friends from now on."_

"_Don't worry, we'll always be together, right?"_

"_I don't want you to go, Zero! Please stay with me . . ."_

"_I guess this is goodbye, isn't it? Somehow this is the card fate dealt us. . . and we have to go our separate ways."_

He regressed into a state of shock, recoiling at the vividness of the memory. He could feel his forehead breaking out into cold sweat, as he hastily stood up from his chair. "Sorry Kaito, but I've got to go. We'll catch up some other time," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Without turning back, he quickly made his leave for the exit. He could hear a voice call out to him, barely heard amongst the loud, mingling voices of the bar, "Oi! Just where the _hell _do you think you're going, Zero? You haven't even paid for your drink yet, you bastard!"

He merely waved a hand in dismissal without turning back, before being greeted by the familiar sounds of night. It was a moonless sky, and although it was rather chilly, the sudden change in temperature helped him regain his composure. His usual mask of indifference. Zero simply shook his head, attempting to dissipate the tidal wave of emotions that had overcome him before.

_She's never coming back. . . so why do you __**long**__ for her?_

He'd asked himself that very same question over and over, and yet — he could never find a sufficient answer each and every time. Zero sighed, and decided to merely leave his thoughts as they were. It had been a long night, and thinking about it really wasn't going to help find him a solution. After all, her chapter in his life had long past, and there was simply no turning back the pages.

Perhaps, he just had to accept that this was the inevitable end to their story.

As he made his trek home however, he quickly froze in his tracks — as his hand immediately gripped his bloody rose, an overwhelming sense of dread invading his senses.

A vampire was nearby, along with the undeniable stench of death and decay.

His hunter instincts immediately began turning the gears, as he bolted towards the source. After going down several flights of alleyways, he came across an all too familiar scene. It was a level E, feasting on its prey — a corpse so gruesomely slaughtered that it was no longer recognisable to the naked eye.

Zero could faintly hear the soft sobs of a child, as relief washed over him. At the very least, he could still save the child. He berated himself for not arriving sooner, for there could have still been the slim chance of him rescuing the person from their horrific demise.

The level E before him froze, immediately sensing the ominous killing intent that had poisoned its senses. It slowly turned around, and its features twisted into what could barely classify as a grin. Zero felt a shiver course through his body, for its eyes showed no semblance of sanity remaining. It was too far gone.

All that stood before him was a beast in human form, a horrendous monster that thirsted for blood, and blood alone. "My my, well if it isn't the infamous vampire hunter of the Kiriyu family. What do I owe the honor of being in your presence?" it spoke calmly, licking the remaining blood smeared onto its lips.

"I have no time for conversation with an incredibly pathetic creature such as the likes of you. Be _gone_" Zero snarled, with no remorse or pity present in his voice.

His hand moved to pull the trigger, until the next words that came out of its mouth, stopped him right in his tracks. Instead of showing fear that its life was about to end, or going berserk with insane madness — it merely smiled at him with mirth, as if they were simply sharing pleasantries between old comrades.

"Well, aren't you the same as _I_? A vampire, a creature from hell itself. I just find it particularly amusing that you can spout such hypocrisy, when you're one of _us_. It's a small world, isn't it?

Its voice dripped with sarcasm and certainty, as it proceeded to cackle — a sound that more so resembled a dying animal.

Zero smirked unflinchingly at the beast in front of him, before pulling the trigger. It had directly pierced its heart, as he then waited for its dying screams to slowly fade away into the night. He watched as it crumbled to dust, as the wind scattered its remaining essence — and its existence was no more. When the night returned to its eerie peacefulness once again, the smirk slid off his face, and he collapsed onto his knees.

_Why did you __**hesitate**__, Zero? That moment's hesitation could've cost you, and you know it._

The pungent scent of blood was driving him insane, as he desperately clawed at his neck to suppress it. What disgusted him the most however, was that it was _right_. Despite its loss of sanity, it had seen through him all too easily, and said out loud the very fears that plagued him.

They really were one in the same, and he might as well be looking into the mirror reflection of his future self. He was constantly haunted by the very idea that he could easily succumb to that madness, and he didn't know how much longer he could last.

He hadn't taken blood in a very long time, and he couldn't even remember the last time he had. Although his body no longer rejected the blood tablets, it was slowly chipping away at his self-control and sanity at every intake. He shakily reached into his pocket, and took out the familiar, worn out case. He proceeded to open up its lid with one hand, and gulped down the entire contents.

Zero swallowed the blood tablets, and after several long moments, he could feel his heartbeat slow and his breathing calm to a steady pace. He threw the container against the wall in anguish, as he smirked dryly to himself. Zero could just hear Kaito's chastising voice in the back of his mind, lecturing him that it wasn't the right way to take the tablets at all.

It did little to sate his hunger, but if it meant he could hold onto his sanity just a little longer. . . then he would do whatever it takes.

He sauntered over to the nearest wall, and slumped his head in thought. Now that his mind had dispersed the haze of desire, the encounter had seemed all too surreal. What had truly shocked him to the core however, was its last words.

"_It's a small world, isn't it?"_

"_Yes, it is."_

It had reminded him of the exact same words she had said to him, in the moment they shared before she disappeared from his life. He couldn't overcome the sense of dread that pooled into the pit of his stomach, at hearing them once again after all these years.

Although the level E had long ago lost its sanity, in its very last words. . . it had sounded so incredibly _human_. It should have been bloodthirsty. . . it should have attacked him on sight. . . and yet, they had engaged in a conversation that could've been classified as "civil".

Was it the harbinger of his impending demise? Was it the catalyst for something far greater, and far more fearsome?

The sound of a child crying penetrated his thoughts, as he cursed his carelessness. In the time he had spent wallowing in his own misery, the child could have easily been captured and devoured by another vampire. No part of the city was safe when night fell, and he silently thanked whomever was out there that the child had not wandered off.

Zero walked hesitantly towards the source of the sobbing, fearing that he would frighten the child instead. He was never popular with kids, and after such a traumatizing ordeal — he doubted that he would make the situation any better.

Forcing himself not to glare, he found the child near several piles of rubbish bags — so incredibly small and helpless. In the darkness, he would have mistaken it for a pile of trash.

Deciding to keep his distance, he coaxed "Look, I'm not here to hurt you. That. . . that monster is gone now, I've taken care of him. If you come out, I'll help you find your guardian, or mother."

"You promise? You _promise_ that you will help me find mommy?" The child called out weakly.

Zero chuckled at the harmless innocence of the question, and replied kindly "I promise".

He could hear the crunching of rubbish bags shifting, as the figure within the darkness began to move closer into his line of vision. The shadow was rather small, as he deduced that the child was no more than five years old.

_What's a child so young doing on the streets, alone at night?_

The child was now right before his very eyes, but his small hands still covered his face. Zero crouched down at eye level to the child, and he asked "What's your name?"

At that point, he could see tufts of silver hair sticking out from between his fingers, and felt a strange revelation overcome him. _Silver hair, huh? How rare. . . I always thought it was a distinctive trait passed down in the Kiriyu bloodline. . ._

_No, it couldn't be_ he thought with a shake of his head. It wasn't entirely impossible to have silver haired genes, after all. Besides, he was the last of the Kiriyu lineage, and he was absolutely certain that there was no other in existence.

The child hiccuped, and replied quietly "A-Akira. . ."

"The light of her life, huh. . . your mother must really love you" Zero said, glad that he had at least done something right that night.

At that encouragement, the sobs finally ceased as the boy rubbed his eyes. He slowly removed his fingers, and smiled at Zero.

Zero at that moment however, felt like he had been struck by lightning — if not the most realistic nightmare of his life. The exact same amethyst orbs were staring right back at him, untainted by the hardships of life. The familiar silver hair that he had grown accustomed to seeing every morning, was now on the body of someone else other than his own.

It was as if he was staring into the very mirror image of his face, with each and every detail chiselled to the utmost perfection. If someone had told Zero then and there that he was staring into a mirror, he may as well have believed them. The uncanny resemblance was far too bizarre to be real. _Someone please tell me that I'm dreaming. . ._

Never before had he wanted this to be a dream, where he could wake up in the comforts of his bedroom. Never before had waking up in the middle of the night, sounded so utterly enticing and tempting. But what _really _threw him off guard, and completely off balance?

That sunny smile, that could've put even the rising of the sun to shame.

It was a smile that he hadn't seen for years on end. It was a smile that had haunted his every waking moment, his every dream, his every wish and his every nightmare.

And the first person that crossed his mind?

_Yuuki_.

* * *

Author's Note: Oh, and the plot thickens!~ You guys might think that the pace of the story has definitely quickened, in comparison to the prologue, but trust me — the whole story itself is rather drawn out. I hope that you guys liked the new update and development, and as always, reviews will be appreciated! Please let me know what you guys think of the story so far, or what you think will happen in the next chapter :)

**— My Endless Love**


	3. Contemplation

**Heaven's Mirror**

_A Work of Fiction by My Endless Love_

* * *

Full Summary: Zero Kiriyu is the infamous leader of the Hunter Association, and is regarded as one of the most powerful figures balancing the strife between humans and vampires. However, he is haunted by the images of the woman he once loved, and the event that changed their lives forever.

Ever since her disappearance from his life five years ago, he has come to the conclusion that he no longer has the capacity to love. On a mission however, he stumbles across a boy with the mirror image of his face. Just what is going on?

* * *

Author's Note: Once again, thank you guys so much for the positive reception last chapter. This is my first time writing a fanfic for Vampire Knight, so it's good to know that I've kept the characters in their original persona. Zero is an incredibly difficult and complex character to write, and I'm glad that you guys really liked my portrayal/take on him. A lot of you guys picked up on my writing style (which surprised me) but I just wanted to clarify why I like to write in so much detail.

For me, detail just adds so much more depth to a story. Not only that, but this fanfic is mostly written in Zero's perspective, and as we all know, his mind is just insanely complex. I chose to write this story in his point of view because in the original Vampire Knight, we never really got to see the story through his eyes and I just thought it'd be an interesting take on the fandom. The writing is more detailed because I just wanted to really _emphasise_ Zero's analytical and perceptive personality (or at least, that's what I view him to be like).

* * *

**Chapter 3: Contemplation**

They had been searching for the last couple of hours in every nook and cranny, for any remaining traces of Akira's guardian, but to no avail. Zero himself, was in a complete and utter daze — wondering if the child's hand he was grasping was some kind of evil spirit sent to haunt him. At this point in time, he would have accepted absolutely any explanation for the child's existence, to assuage his own growing fears.

Even after hours of staring at the child, analysing him from every possible angle — from the bridge of his nose, to the shape of his eyes and to the contours of his face — there was simply no doubt about it. It was _his_, and no matter how much his heart refused to accept it. . . logic completely outweighed any other possibility. Zero was no fool, and this was just one case he simply couldn't look over.

"I'm. . . I'm tired. . ." the small voice on his right muttered, tugging at his sleeve.

He glanced at the figure clutching onto his hand, and sighed. Zero felt _some_ semblance of guilt for treating the child like an abomination that had appeared from the depths of hell — but he himself, had not yet fully come to terms with the situation. The child was near tears, and seemed completely exhausted by the day's events — not that Zero could entirely blame him. The search for his mother had been futile at best, and despite his mental conflictions — Zero knew he would have to take care of him for the night.

Going to the association to locate his guardian's identity would have to wait until tomorrow morning. The silver haired boy's amethyst orbs were now almost overflowing with tears, as he bit his lip to stifle the sobs. Zero smiled bitterly, as it reminded him so incredibly much of Yuuki when she was younger. After all, she was quite the crybaby when she was little, and clung to him in almost the exact same manner.

The resemblance between them was almost devastating, but he decided not to press the matter further. After all, if he had any sense of value or iota of concern for his psychological well being — then he would very well leave the subject alone. The revelation that he had a child in itself, was difficult enough for even _him_ to stomach in a day.

Zero scolded, "I promise that we'll continue the search for your mother tomorrow morning. For today however, I'll take you home. You're a _man_, and men don't cry. . . no matter how difficult a situation becomes. How are you going to protect others, when you're such a crybaby?"

At this, he immediately wiped the tears away on the back of his sleeve, and glared indignantly "I am _not_ a crybaby! Mommy even said I'm a big boy!"

Zero chuckled at his response, the defiance all too clear in his incredibly expressive amethyst orbs. Such fiery spirit was rare to come across nowadays, and even rarer to possess. He hadn't seen someone so full of it in such a long time, and it brought forth such nostalgic memories for him. Usually he despised _anything_ that had to do with children, and was so certain that he was simply not cut out to be a father in this life.

They ran in terror from the very sight of him, and he sincerely doubted that he could be the kind and loving parent needed to raise a child. They were so desperately clingy and wanted everything within their line of sight, that he was certain he would rather kill himself than to ever cater for their needs. Not to mention the fact that he particularly loathed _crying_ children more so than anything else.

To him, it was the greatest sign of weakness — and in the world which he grew up in, it would not be quite so merciful.

Even if it was from such a young child.

Zero snickered at the ridiculousness of it all, as each and every day for him was a waging battlefield. A struggle would have been a terrible understatement, and if _he_ were to ever shed tears on such perilous terrain? They'd kill him, without a single moment's hesitation, and in his last dying moments — they would surely torment him for even _thinking _that he'd garner any ounce of their pity.

Such was a moral of life that he'd been ingrained with from the moment he was born.

However, if they possessed such spirit as the child before him, then he thought maybe... just _maybe_, it might work out. Perhaps just this once. . . he could make an exception to his life's undying hatred of children.

At that point however, he suddenly remembered a vague memory from when he was a child, to the time he had always craved one action of affection from his father. He decided to test the theory, in spite of his inner doubts.

"Alright, alright. . . I admit that you've been through a rough night. You're not _quite_ a man yet, but you're on the right track, kiddo" He conceded, whilst placing his hand on the child's head and gently ruffling it.

Akira automatically stiffened at the foreign touch, but after a moment's hesitation — a wide, sunny smile appeared on his face, as he looked up towards Zero in admiration.

"Don't look at me like that. . . you look stupid" Zero stated bluntly, but he couldn't help the small infectious smile that spread across his features.

Akira pouted, but refused to let go of his hand. "You know, you're not a bad person. . . but why must you always say and act, the opposite of how you truly feel?"

Zero hesitated for a moment at the question, surprised that despite the child's young age, he was extremely perceptive. _Such a trait would make a fine hunter, that's for sure. Doesn't he remind you of your younger self, Zero?_

He ignored his train of thought, and brushed it away quickly into the depths of his mind. He was thinking far too ahead into the future, when they really hadn't established any stable ground yet. He needed _answers_, answers which he would have to wait until tomorrow to find.

For the time being, he couldn't decide whether Akira was an exceptionally good guesser, incredibly sly or just. . . a plain idiot.

"Never judge a man so easily. Sometimes you can know someone your whole life and yet ironically, know nothing at all about them. I've committed more sins than you could ever imagine in your entire lifetime. I'm probably the worst person you'll ever meet" Zero smirked, hoping to put a stop to his prying.

Curiosity is what _killed_ the cat, after all.

Akira cocked his head in confusion at the response, the gears in his head rapidly turning. _His expressions and his thoughts show up so clearly on his face. . . is it childhood innocence, or a familiar trait from a particular__** person**__ that you recognise?_

Zero was certain that his voice of reason had died a million deaths by his hand alone in this lifetime.

Akira however, had finally come to a conclusion with his thoughts, and simply smiled at Zero — the hint of a playful smirk to his features. A smirk that was so strikingly like his own.

"To me, you're a good person and that is all that I need to know. If you feel happy, then be happy. If you're sad, then be sad. If you like something, then say it. If you want something, then take it. You don't have to hide your feelings, you know. . ." Akira trailed off, his attention settling back to their grasped hands once more.

Zero didn't falter in his response this time, as the initial shock of the child's intelligence was no longer a surprise to him. "Maybe someday you'll understand. . . why it's easier to just not show how you feel. Why don't you tell me a bit about yourself, since it's a rather long walk home?"

At this, Akira immediately perked up and began telling him various stories about himself, and the things he liked. Despite Zero's feigned indifference, he couldn't help but be amused by the child's rather clumsy ramblings. As inquisitive as he was, he was still a child at heart. The infant's innate chatter echoed throughout the night, and for the first time in his life — Zero couldn't help but feel a swell of warmth and a flicker of hope for the future.

* * *

As he sat himself on the edge of his well-worn bed and watched Akira snuggle underneath the blankets, he worked up the courage to finally ask the question that he had been dreading during their entire trek home. Zero mentally prepared himself, as he took a few even breaths to calm his racing heartbeat. He needed to be able to accept even the worst case scenario, for not only his sake — but for the child's in front of him.

Akira stared at him in wait, as he let out a quiet yawn — his amethyst orbs threatening to close at any moment. Zero cleared his throat, and muttered "So, what are your parents like?"

Akira forced his eyes to reopen, a smile immediately gracing his features as he began talking with clear excitement. It seemed as if he had triggered a rather well rehearsed topic, and it appeared as though it wasn't the first time he was asked such a question either.

"Mommy? Well, she's super _pretty_. . . and is always kind to me. She worries about me a lot, and has the best smile in the world!"

Zero chuckled at his description, for it demonstrated the very essence of childhood innocence. Akira continued on, completely unaware of his apparent amusement. "She always smells of flowers and honey, and has the _loooooongest _hair. . . Mommy always tells me that no matter what, I have to be happy, and if I'm happy — then she's happy too!"

"We're always on the move though, so I haven't really had the time to make any friends. . ." Akira trailed off sadly, and before Zero could ask any further questions, his eyelids had fluttered closed.

_I'll just let him sleep, since he has had a rather long night. I'm really quite impressed. . . even after such an ordeal, and witnessing such a traumatizing event. . . he seems quite chipper and unaffected. Unless. . . this is something that he's __**used**__ to._

Zero sighed to himself, as he pulled the covers a little higher. Hearing the child's endearing ramblings was such a clumsy habit that once again, reminded him of _her_. Zero himself, was quite perceptive and had easily deciphered the very crucial hint within his story.

After all, he had taken the time and effort to word his question very carefully.

He had referred to his guardian as _parents_ and yet, he had only ever talked about his mother. Any mention of a father was either forgotten, or practically non-existent. It only heightened his suspicions, and added yet another unwanted confirmation of his parentage. Zero was a reasonable person. . . but this time, he just couldn't help but hold onto the possibility of it being the mistake of some one night passionate fling he had with someone, whom he didn't know or particularly care about.

Although Zero wasn't quite as boisterous and excessive with women as Kaito was, he was still a _man_. He still had the needs. . . the urges. . . and certain desires that he sometimes wished didn't exist. They were weaknesses after all, and every weakness was a chance to be painfully exploited.

He still slept with the attractive woman every so often when the mood struck, but they were usually no more than one night fumbles between the sheets — a mutual act where the two parted ways the very next morning and never saw one another ever again. He always made certain that the women he slept with clearly _knew_ of his "policies" and would not question it under any given circumstance.

There was nothing like a woman scorned, if she hadn't received what she had bargained for, after all. And Zero knew well enough that they would hunt him down to the ends of the earth and back, if ever given the choice. He didn't need that extra _complication_ or commitment in his life. He didn't want to take responsibility if they were merely disillusioned into thinking he even cared about them at all.

To his surprise however, there were always women willing to accommodate his urges, despite the considerable ramifications of it. Perhaps there was something incredibly alluring about spending the night with a dangerous man, whose true capabilities were unknown. Or were they charmed by his cold demeanor, and simply wanted to test his renowned "expertise" for themselves?

He didn't know, and frankly he didn't want to find out either. Zero however, still felt the twinge of masculine pride, as he knew with the utmost certainty that whomever he bedded, he never did a half-ass job. It just wasn't in his nature to do so, and he always made sure to please to the very best of his ability.

He was always extremely _careful_ in his endeavours but it seems as though he hadn't been careful enough. After all, he simply couldn't be a father and with his line of work — he couldn't even guarantee whether or not he would live until the very next day. He hoped, sincerely hoped with every fiber in his being that the mother was merely a stranger whom he didn't remember, and they could come to a civil consensus over the child's welfare.

If it was the child of whom he thought it was. . . then he was certain without fail, that he would be condemned to the very depths of hell, and any reincarnated life thereafter.

Zero sauntered over to his couch which he almost never used, and simply allowed his body to crash into it without a care in the world. He threw the folded blankets over his head carelessly, as he propped his head up upon a pillow. After all. . . they had only shared one night together. . . one night of mistaken passion. . . but obviously, it had been one too many chances.

He simply couldn't find any other word to describe it other than a _mistake_. It had been fraud, and something he should have never condoned, or taken part in.

Zero closed his eyes, as he allowed himself to remember glimpses. . . of the night it happened.

_". . .She was so gloriously beautiful underneath the direct limelight of the moon. . . her porcelain skin looked so incredibly soft to touch, and he was afraid. . . oh so deathly afraid that the slightest touch, or mistake on his part, would completely shatter her beyond repair. . ."_

_". . . They shouldn't be doing this, __**couldn't**__ be doing this. . . so why didn't he turn her away? . . . "_

_". . . if you don't want me, then tell me to go! Push me away! Sever all ties with me from your life forever! Look me in the eye, and tell me that you no longer love me. . . That I no longer exist within the crevices of your heart . . . ! She had whispered this as a tear rolled down her cheek. It was deathly silent within the room, and her voice had the same impact as though she had screamed at the very top of her lungs. . ."_

_". . . In the midst of their haze of indescribable passion, he had heard her whisper more so to herself, 'I think I'm in love you. . . Zero.' He could have sworn that it was merely his mind playing cruel tricks on him, but that would be a very foolish wish indeed. 'What?' he said coldly, all emotions stripped from his voice. . ."_

_". . . I'm sorry, Yuuki. . . I can't be with you. I'm not __**good**__ for you. We're like two people on two different ends of the spectrum, two beings separated by the hands of fate itself. Go back to your lover, Kuran Kaname. . . because I obviously can't make you happy like he can, he spat. . ."_

. . . And the last thing he saw of her were her eyes shining painfully with regret, eyes full of bitterness, despair and hatred. . . as she turned her back to him for the last time, and ran away into the night.

He could feel himself physically recoiling from the vividness of the memory, as he placed his hand over his forehead in despair. How many times had he replayed that scenario until his eyes could no longer see what was in front of him? How many times had he wondered what the outcome would have been, if he had succumbed to her pleas? What would have happened really, if he had just allowed himself to be honest that night?

Zero couldn't blame Yuuki for whatever spite she felt towards him, because he had deserved it — no questions asked. But he _knew_ her, he knew her better than anyone else. Whatever hatred she felt towards him, would have been overtaken by the compassion she would've felt for their unborn son. Yuuki had always been far too forgiving for him to comprehend, and he knew whatever words were exchanged that night — she would have ignored, if it meant giving their child the life neither of them had.

So then, why had she left without a trace . . . without a word, without any notification of this?

He could sense from Akira's deathly calm over the earlier vampire encounter, that this had not been the first time which he had been exposed to bloodshed. Would Yuuki be truly heartless enough to walk their son through the road of carnage, simply because of the regrettable words exchanged within their farewell?

It didn't seem possible, or rather — he refused to believe it.

It seemed as though his life was a continual web of complications, and he was condemned to never finding the long desired peace within himself. "Life is terribly cruel, isn't it?" he muttered to himself.

_A meaningless life with no promise of tomorrow, or one filled with adrenaline and death as the inevitable end? It is up to you to decide, Zero. Which face of the coin. . . of life. . . will you choose?_

He could hear the irritable pounding of a growing migraine, as he simply let out a sigh in disbelief. It felt as though he was being caught in a tidal wave, of something that even he wasn't ready for. He was being swept along the tide, and out to sea — and if he fought the current. . . then the results could very well mean the end.

Or perhaps, would he finally allow himself to resign to the inevitable outcome that the torrential waters decided for him, no matter how undesirable?

Neither option appealed very much to him.

Zero rolled onto his side, and placed the pillow over his face — a feeble and rather childish attempt to block out the questions. . . the never-ending thoughts. It was his temporary anaesthesia to numbing all existence of feelings. If only life was as easy as ridding oneself of all emotions. Sleep had evaded him for so long, and yet tonight it seemed far more merciful than usual. Before long, he had fallen into a deep slumber.

* * *

Zero awoke the next morning to the cheery greeting of sunlight, permeating his all too sensitive line of vision. He groaned sleepily, not at all pleased that his wonderful slumber had been disturbed by something all too petty. Zero couldn't even recall the last time he had slept so soundly, without waking up to the sight of nightmares or the dripping of cold sweat down the expanse of his back. He squeezed his amethyst orbs shut, childishly willing it to simply disappear and cease to exist. After last night's utterly traumatizing sequence of events, he allowed himself to succumb to the moment of weakness.

His immature behaviour surprised even him, as he was so certain that he had trained his body to withstand even the toughest of battles — no matter the situation, no matter the stakes involved. Without fail, he would wake up each day within the early hours of the morning, whether wind, sunshine or rain. Even if he'd shed countless rivulets of blood the day before, or witnessed events that no ordinary human being should ever shed light to. Zero was a man of duty, and duty fell before all else — even his honour.

Even if it meant denying his innermost, sacred needs to uphold his duties, then so be it.

_Obviously my mind can't keep up with the pace. . . perhaps, I've grown __**weak**__ after all _he thought darkly.

So lost in his thoughts was he, that he hadn't even realised the small fragile body that lay cradled within the crook of his arm. When the body shifted within its slumber, Zero's senses were immediately lit aflame — as he stiffened at the sudden, foreign intrusion. His amethyst orbs moved to find the source of his discomfort, as he saw the familiar tuft of silver hair.

Akira's face was scrunched into a look of disdain, as if the sudden change had disturbed a rather enjoyable dream that he was not yet ready to let go of. As Zero's body relaxed with the recognition that there was no threat present within the parameters of the room, Akira shuffled closer into the pane of his chest — gripping his shirt tightly into his balled fists.

_Oh? It seems as if the little one doesn't want to let you go . . . or so it seems that he values your company very much._

Zero couldn't help but smile at the thought, and the sight of the sleeping child brought forth a feeling of inner peace within himself that he hadn't felt in a long, long time. It was strange to say in the least, since the emotion felt so incredibly foreign to him.

How many days has it been, that he'd constantly be on alert, on guard and filled with the utmost turmoil? How long has it been since he could just sit back and enjoy the comfortable silence? How much time has passed that the gaping hole in his chest, no longer felt so broad. . . so empty. . . and so unfulfilled?

It felt as if his body was no longer his to command, and that he was merely a stranger viewing the scene before him. He stroked the child's hair in an almost loving manner, bringing forth a small smile to Akira's face amidst his peaceful dream. Zero for the first time in his life, was at a loss with himself.

Even if he wanted to take action, he simply did not know what to do. He furrowed his brow in frustration, willing himself to think. He wasn't the type of weakling who merely sat within the sidelines, unable to move forward. He was Zero Kiriyu, the one who conquered his seemingly endless suffering, who made it through each and every obstacle that life threw at him.

After all, he was still alive and breathing till this very day, wasn't he?

Just how many times in his life had people told him that he wouldn't make it? That he was born to a terrible fate that simply could not be altered, no matter how hard he tried. And at the end of the day, who was it that was able to witness the complete and utter surprise on their faces?

It was _he_ who proved them all wrong.

This was merely another test, another barrier which he had to break through. Filled with resolve and determination, he gently removed his arm that was situated behind Akira's head, being careful not to wake him. After yesterday's ordeal, the small boy truly deserved his rest. Zero quietly walked to the bathroom, whilst cringing from his desperate need for a shower.

He probably looked like he had gone through hell and back, and for the face of the Hunter Association, it simply wouldn't do.

He braced himself mentally as he stared at his reflection in the mirror, faltering slightly at what he saw. He could have sworn for a second that he had seen familiar, scarlet red eyes staring back at him, glimpsing into the very recesses of his soul. Zero however, did not break eye contact as a smirk plastered across his face with confidence.

He had to do this, no matter what it took. No matter how much he feared the possibility of seeing her again, of looking into those ruby red orbs. . . there was simply no turning back. It was far too late to rewind the hands of time to erase his meeting with Akira, and perhaps the fated encounter after all was destiny itself.

Zero was going to find out the identity of Akira's guardian, even if he had to run to the ends of the earth and back. Even if he spent the rest of his life searching on a seemingly futile quest.

_The red strings of fate brought us together in the most unlikely of circumstances, and tore us apart at the very climax of our youthful lives. It seemed as though fate was to separate us over the very lengths of time, and I had resigned myself to no longer having you by my side._

_But perhaps, maybe. . . just maybe. . . fate has given us the chance to meet one another, once again._

_Fate brought you to me once, and so this time round. . . fate will bring me to you instead._

* * *

Author's Note: And so, the plot is slowly inching forward. Although it wasn't _quite_ as dramatic as the last chapter, I do hope you guys enjoyed reading it nonetheless. This story will be filled with a lot of twists and turns, so be on the lookout for them. A lot of you guys asked what was the reason behind Yuuki's disappearance, but sadly I really can't say yet. It shall be unveiled much later in the story! ^_^

On a side note — have you guys read **Vampire Knight Chapter 83 **yet? It just got recently released/scanlated, so go check it out if you haven't already! That was actually my main muse behind writing this chapter, since after reading it I was like "oh my gosh. . . I have to get writing!" To me, it was just the biggest confirmation/hint that it was going to be a _Zeki_ ending (sorry to the Kaname fans). I mean, he carried her "princess style", she asked to remain by his side _and_ she cut her hair in the fashion of her "human form".

It just reminded me of Zero and Yuuki before all the "vampire conflict" came into play. With Yuuki's new found resolve, it's pretty obvious that the chance of it being a Kaname end are out the window. And the fact that she can't agree with his methods, and her "unloading the burden" just shows that they've taken their seperate ways and "broken up". But this time, it was on _her_ terms.

The whole forest talk was super symbolic as well since it shows that Kaname is drifting further away, whilst Zero is lying there cold and freezing. And since she talks about waiting to reach the sunlight — I think it implies that they'll both melt the ice together, and escape from the darkness — no matter how much it hurts.

I'll stop my rambling now, since this is getting _way_ too long. Please let me know what you guys thought of the recent chapter ^_^ For me, whilst I am happy that it's hinting towards a _Zeki_ end, at the same time - if they were just going to end up together, why did they even include the second arc at all? The second arc was just loads of drama after drama, and there were just countless loop holes. To me, Sara was a pretty damn pointless villain. I could go on and on about it, but that's not my main point here haha.

As always, reviews will be appreciated!

**— My Endless Love**


	4. Reunion

**Heaven's Mirror**

_A Work of Fiction by My Endless Love_

* * *

Full Summary: Zero Kiriyu is the infamous leader of the Hunter Association, and is regarded as one of the most powerful figures balancing the strife between humans and vampires. However, he is haunted by the images of the woman he once loved, and the event that changed their lives forever.

Ever since her disappearance from his life five years ago, he has come to the conclusion that he no longer has the capacity to love. On a mission however, he stumbles across a boy with the mirror image of his face. Just what is going on?

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you for the lovely reviews once again in the last chapter! For the record, I read _all_ of your reviews, and I will eventually get around to replying to all of them.

In the last chapter, one of you wonderful reviewers (**Shizza24**) commented on Zero's "hatred of children" and I felt like I needed to clarify to you guys _why_ he dislikes them so. In the original manga/canon, it's pretty obvious that Zero does _not_ hate children. In fact, he shows a softer side towards them, and places their safety above all else.

In this fanfic, it's not that Zero hates children per say, but the "idea" of taking care of them. Zero himself has far too many burdens on his shoulders to carry, and he really can't hold the extra responsibility of looking after a child. Not only that, but he himself, has no trust/belief in his abilities to raise a kid (with his childhood, he really has no idea what to do). The other reason why I chose to portray him like so, was because I wanted to truly emphasise on Zero's change in attitude towards Akira, and how the little guy eventually grows on him ^_^

Whilst Zero claims to "hate" children, when he first encountered the level E — the first thing he thought of was the safety of the child, and nothing else. It just shows the true contradiction of his words and nature, yes? In spite of his "undying dislike", he is not above risking his life to save a child. And despite his chagrin, he still nonetheless took Akira in and "attempted" to soothe his worries. I suppose it wasn't a very clear hint on my part to his true nature, but I just wanted to properly clarify it with you guys :)

* * *

**Chapter 4: Reunion**

Zero could have sworn that he had never _ever_ felt such a strong urge to kill someone so badly before in his entire life.

Whilst he had anticipated that the Hunter Association's reaction would be nothing less than unpleasant, this was just completely out of this world. Any other ordinary human being would have surely lost their wits by now, but _no_. He must stay strong. . . he must remain focused. . . he must not stray from the mission he has been given. . . he was Zero Kiriyu, after all.

As he swiftly walked down the main staircase with the silver haired child in tow, he felt the main hall automatically silence at his approaching presence. It was though time had completely stopped within that very moment, and the sand glass' slow trickle had been put to an immediate halt in its usual endeavors. Zero felt the burning gaze of countless eyes penetrating his entire body, as he kept his head hung low in a feeble attempt to remain as inconspicuous as possible.

Not much good that it did him though.

For that very length of time, he was for once thankful to whatever divine being that existed out there for the utterly intimidating effect he had on other people. After all, without the suffocating aura that constantly plagued him — some complete _idiot_ would have surely made a particularly unintelligent comment regarding the child himself, and his undeniable parentage. As he reached the very bottom of the grand staircase, it seemed as though the hands of time suddenly remembered its former duty — as the noise of the room quickly returned to what it was like prior to his entrance.

Only the tense, lingering atmosphere hinted at the events that had just occurred, as it was perceivably more strained than before. Zero could now see within his line of vision the door that led to the exit — the door that signified his long awaited freedom that had evaded him for so long. He found it utterly ironic that the one day which required his presence at the Association, would be the one day he had unwittingly (and reluctantly) discovered the existence of his unknown child.

If only he had been assigned the typical field patrol mission instead, and he could have kept the unwanted secret with him a little longer. But of course, life hated with the _utmost_ passion that one could possibly possess in this world, and now his parentage would be known by the entire vampire society by the end of the day. After all, the striking similarities between him and Akira were practically the same as holding a large, red sign stating, "He's my son, and I probably kept him hidden from all of you bastards on purpose."

Unbeknownst to all their thoughts however, the news was about as shocking to him, as it was to them. He too had only discovered the all too traumatizing existence of the child quite literally, yesterday night. Zero admittedly, still had a small part of himself that secretly willed for it to all be a horribly realistic dream, and that at any moment, he would wake up as per usual in the middle of the night.

The day for him had been nothing short of a nightmare, as every single person who passed him never failed to stutter, or have the utmost look of surprise plastered across their faces. They looked as though they had just witnessed a total train wreck, as their eyes quickly darted between him and the child — drawing the connection almost immediately.

Some were less tactless in their realisations, and they found themselves successfully thrown face first into the nearest wall. _Serves them right for being complete __**idiots **_Zero thought darkly, a wry grin spreading across his features.

They'd be damned to the very depths of hell before they ever garnered even an _ounce_ of pity from him.

Before he could successfully step outside the door however, he ran into the very last person on earth that he wanted to see. The man's glasses were slightly set askew from the collision, as he absent mindedly put them back into their original place. As his vision cleared however, a large sunny smile appeared on his face as he beamed brightly, "My My, Zero! It's been quite a while since I last saw you at the Association, as you're always running around on those field missions. Not that I can blame you though, since our numbers are looking rather bleak. . . but still, shouldn't you at least find some time in your busy schedule, just to visit your one and only _father_?"

Kaien gulped as he felt Zero's suffocatingly dark aura intensify almost twofold at his words, as his burning glare signified nothing short of murder. _He just never changes, does he? Just how many times have I told him that he'll age prematurely with wrinkles, if he constantly has that look on his face_ . . . Kaien fretted mentally.

Even though Zero was without a doubt at the peak of his manhood, he couldn't help but feel the constant urge to shower him with the fatherly affection he had so lacked throughout his life.

"How many times have I told you old man, that you are _not_ my father!" Zero spat out venomously, looking as though he wanted to desperately wring a _particular _person's neck.

"How_ stingy_, Zero! After all I did to raise you since you were a child, is that how you treat me?" Kaien replied, feigning hurt as he began wiping imaginary tears from his eyes. The childish charade only further grated on Zero's nerves, as his mind began concocting various ways to side step his body, without resorting to punching the living daylights out of him.

It was simply _not_ his day.

"You could at least take a little joke from your beloved _Daddy_ can't you? It seems as though something has been on your mind lately. . . or perhaps, something peculiar has happened to you today. . ." Kaien trailed off.

_Maybe it's just __**you**__ that has been the irritating __**leech**__ of my day. . . the __**leech**__ that simply won't go away _Zero interjected rudely in his mind. Setting his hair on fire seemed all the more tempting by the second, as his patience was wearing dangerously thin.

Seeing him run around the Association in an attempt to extinguish his burning head just _might_ make them even.

Kaien's reverie was interrupted however, at the sudden realisation of the child, clutching onto Zero's hand for dear life. He had shyly hidden himself away behind Zero's legs, and despite his pitiful attempt to conceal himself — the unmistakable tuft of silver hair stuck out from behind his hiding spot, for all the world to see.

A look of surprise crossed his features, as it ever so slowly morphed into a knowing smirk. _Ah, it seems as though Zero has already found him — as expected of the renowned leader of the Hunter Association. That saves me the time of searching for him myself, after he wandered off. . ._

Zero however, had become tense and completely on guard, as he surveyed Kaien's reaction to the sight of Akira. _That fucking __**bastard**__! He knows something about this. . . something that he obviously decided to __**hide**__ from me._

Kaien however, completely ignored the ominous killing intent radiating off Zero in waves, as he crouched down at eye level to the small child. The action only caused Akira to hide behind Zero further, whilst leaving only one eye to warily survey his next move. "Well, aren't you just an _adorable _little kid. Do you want some candy?" Kaien asked gently, offering a small sweet as a peace offering within the palm of his hand.

After gazing at him for several long moments, he hesitantly reached out his small hand towards the treat, but quickly retracted it as an afterthought. "Mommy says to never take candy from strangers. . ." Akira muttered quietly, averting his eyes.

As if sensing Zero's growing disdain at the scenario, Akira's gaze quickly became venomous as he shot an accusatory glare towards Kaien. A glare that was the mirror reflection of his father. Kaien however, seemed extremely amused by the situation, and let out a carefree chuckle.

"A-are you mocking me?" Akira demanded, utterly confused at his reaction.

Kaien straightened himself up, as he returned to eye level to Zero. "It seems as though the child has taken a certain distaste for me. . . something very much like you on the first day of bringing you to my home. Don't you remember that it was also the first time you met . . ." Kaien once again trailed off, as his eyes held a particularly mirthful glint, the same look one might have when holding an all too juicy secret.

Zero scowled in response, all too aware of whom he had implied. _It was the same day that I had met Yuuki for the first time._

Kaien's gaze once again shifted between the two figures in front of him, before shaking his head. "The similarity is quite too _uncanny_ to be coincidental, don't you think so, Zero?"

His words lingered in the suddenly tense atmosphere, as Zero frowned in response. That had been no innocent statement on his part, and as he stared into Kaien's eyes — he saw _that_ look. The look people usually gave you when they knew something about yourself, which you had absolutely no idea about.

Zero knew without a doubt that the idiotic Kaien had somehow once again, meddled into his affairs, and Akira's appearance was by no means a coincidence. He had set them up, and Zero had fallen right into his trap. He however, was more perturbed at that very moment by the fact that even though he had only known Akira for literally a day, the similarities between them were constantly becoming more and more apparent by the second.

Not only had he inherited certain facets strongly prevalent within the Kiriyu bloodline, but it seemed as though his cold personality had also been firmly ingrained within the small child — despite his young age. Every gesture, every action, and every gaze from the boy. . . it was as though he was looking at himself as a child all over again.

It was an incredibly formidable concept for even him to comprehend, and he once again felt a growing migraine. Zero had been unable to spare time from his busy schedule to research the possible guardian and mother of Akira, and had been constantly bombarded by paperwork from the Association. Paperwork that only he, as the President, could complete. It had been long overdue on his part, and it simply could not be dealt with at a later time.

Feeling utterly fed up with the cryptic signals that he was receiving from Kaien, he decided to simply push past him and through the entrance — uncaring of whatever he did to stop him. He had had _enough_ of his damned charades, and whatever Kaien had in store for him, could surely wait another day. All he wanted to do was to collapse into the comforts of his bed, and calm the ever growing doubts forming within the depths of his mind.

He was always an over thinker at heart, and with his churning, out of control emotions — it was simply not a good combination what so ever for his character. Zero needed to get a grip on himself, since it just wasn't the right mindset at all for the daunting task that lay ahead of him.

As he walked out through the Association entrance, pulling the poor boy in his lengthy stride — he heard Kaien call out to him in a tone that he found himself utterly despising. "Zero, just as a heads up warning, you have a special mission coming up that is only for _you_ to complete. It has already been decided upon by the Council of Elders, and you will be given notification of this task very soon."

Zero paused for the slightest fraction of a second within his tracks, before continuing onto his destination unfazed. If one hadn't been watching carefully, you would have assumed that he simply hadn't heard Kaien at all. But he _knew_ Zero had heard him.

He knew him better than anyone else.

After all, he'd raised him for over twenty years of his life, and had sadly watched him grow and walk down the road of carnage.

_It seems as though you have yet to realise what's been lying within the depths of your heart all this time. I can't watch you do this to yourself, Zero. . . you're destroying yourself day by day, and I simply won't allow you to destroy the very last piece of your humanity, your __**soul**__. I sincerely apologize for meddling in your affairs, but if I didn't — how much further will you walk that road? How much further, until you're satisfied with your misery?_

_Will you be pleased only when your corpse remains?_

Kaien shook the thought from his head, and continued on his prior trek to his office. _Perhaps you have yet to grasp the idea, that you'll be meeting __**that person**__ much sooner than you realise._

* * *

"Did you know who that weird, glasses man was?" Akira inquired curiously, whilst struggling to keep up with Zero's lengthy stride. His legs after all, were no match in comparison — but it seemed as though Zero had yet to realise this. After all, it was only a testament to his obvious lack of skill regarding children.

"Whatever you do, don't _ever_ listen to a thing he says. Anything that comes out of his mouth is surely bound to be his _idiotically_ conceived ideals," Zero muttered darkly, his expression being one of utter irritation. _Damn that senile old man to hell! Just what is he hiding up his sleeves?_

Akira quickly shrunk back a little at the sight of his face, as he decided to leave his curiosity for another day.

It was obvious that his saviour from yesterday was in no mood to talk, and radiated the vibes of cold blooded murder. _That reminds me. . . I still don't even know his name. . . _thought Akira, as he stole a glance at the towering man by his side.

A person's name is often regarded lightly as merely a title that one is given at birth, without much thought for the most part — but Akira knew better. A person's name in most cases, is one's most unappreciated and underrated treasure. It is the greatest symbol of identity that one can possibly possess, and without it — just _who_ were you anymore?

What other justification could there possibly be to rectify your existence? You were just another person, another "thing", another "object" without any particular value. Your name is what gives you your humanity, after all.

_Your name — your identity — is truly a powerful thing. So, what name could he possibly possess, that lives up to his obvious prestige and power? _Akira wondered, his thoughts straying from their original path.

Even though he had only known the man for barely a day, at first glance — he had immediately recognised the immense strength that he emanated. He was someone to be both feared and respected, very much like a dangerous beast that threatened to change sides at any given moment.

He was a man of mystery, an enigma that not many people could even begin to decipher. And yet, there had also been something else about his character which he had sensed. Something about him that told Akira that he wasn't going to hurt him, something so deeply buried inside of him that perhaps, even _he_ hadn't realised had shone through in that very moment.

Pure human kindness.

Whilst his amethyst orbs that were so strikingly like his own, held the power to destroy and annihilate, it also held the faintest touch of _empathy_. Although it was very much like a flickering candle threatening to extinguish at any given moment, it was still _there_. Although Akira had only seen the world for a good five years, it was something he had recognised that not many people in this world possessed.

And for him, it was a good enough reason to trust him.

The man's voice shattered his reverie however, as he murmured, "Akira, can you tell me a little more about your mother, or what she looks like? It may just help with the investigation. . ."

"Well she's. . ." Akira however, trailed off as his eyes widened fixatedly at the figure who stood before him. It was the very person he had been longing for ever since he'd been separated from her side.

Zero immediately stopped in his tracks, as the child no longer moved and stood there like as if he had seen some sort of ghost. Zero stared rather confused at Akira's expression, as he then turned his gaze to the same direction.

At that very moment, he could've sworn that his heart had stopped beating.

_No it can't be. . . this must be some kind of sick, demented joke. . . after all these years, it's just not possible to appear out of thin air. . . have I already lost my sanity to the point where I'm seeing such illusions?_

But there was no doubt about it.

It was _her_.

Her long, silky brown hair whipped around in the wind with a particular finesse that only she could have managed. The strands gently caressed her skin, as though ghostly fingers were leaving behind long forgotten marks of their existence. Her face was just as smooth and lustrous as he remembered, and possessed a look that would have succumbed mere mortals to their very knees, with just one glance.

Her scarlet red orbs were far more intense than before, as she stared at him. . . completely devoid of all emotion. She didn't look away from him, as her lips pursed into a thin line of distaste. It seemed as though she was taking him in, looking into the very depths of his soul. . . searching for something in particular.

Never before had he felt so exposed and weak to someone's gaze. It was if she was looking through his most precious memories, sifting through them as though they meant absolutely nothing to her. They were none of her business at all to touch, but she didn't seem to care.

Her skin was just as flawless and porcelain-like as before, a look of perfection that was far too ethereal and unworldly to be human. She looked just as breakable and fragile as he remembered, but her eyes held a certain flame — a flicker of determination, and self-confidence that she didn't have before.

She was someone who was absolutely certain of who she was in life, and what she had to do. She had found her path, her life's purpose, and was without a doubt — someone who should _not_ be trifled with at all costs. And yet at the same time, she looked as though she had not aged a day since they went their separate ways.

For the first time since he'd met the boy, Akira had let go of his hand willingly — as he said the very last words Zero ever wanted to hear in this lifetime.

"Mommy!" Akira shouted joyously, leaving his side without another moment's hesitation. He was near tears at the sight of her, as he ran as fast as he could into her outstretched arms.

"Yuuki. . ." Zero whispered quietly, as the words were swept away by the wind.

It was the very cursed name he had sworn to himself that he would never again utter for the rest of his life.

His worst fears had been confirmed, and whatever last strands of hope he held onto for it being an illusion, or a terrible dream were shattered. They were broken so completely and seamlessly, that he found himself physically staggering at the revelation.

She held the child in an embrace that was nothing short of _motherly_ and he found his throat becoming completely parched at the sight. It was though he had been walking in the desert for days on end without water, even though only a few minutes had passed by. Why was it that at the most crucial of moments, words always managed to fail him, each and every single time? Even after five years, he still couldn't find the right words to express his heart's innermost desires.

As she petted the child's silver hair in a loving gesture, her eyes glazed over with an expression that he had never ever seen before. Her lips were no longer pursed in distaste, but had spread into a dazzling smile filled with so much love and compassion, that even he was astounded by. Zero found himself utterly amazed at the unexpected predicament, and was shocked to the very core.

Her expression was nothing short of the greatest love a mother could ever give to her child, and it was a look that she had never once shown to anyone. Not even him. . . not even her _precious_ lover, Kuran Kaname. He forced the thought of the cursed man out of his mind, whilst cringing in absolute disgust that he had even _allowed_ himself to remember him.

He felt like a complete and utter fool for simply standing there, unable to say a word. It was as though he had been sent back five years into the past, when he was merely an idiotic teenager with the most outrageous ideals. Zero had thought he'd grown up from that _boy_. . . and left him behind — but obviously, that didn't seem to be the case. In fact, he felt more so like that little boy than ever before.

How was it that after five years, she could have changed so much, and him . . . little to none at all?

He thought he knew himself more so than anybody else. But at that very moment, he felt like a stranger even in his own body. It was as though he was on auto-pilot, whilst the person he was watching was someone completely different.

It was as if he was no longer a part of the scene itself, and was merely a spectator — watching how the events would unfold, with no power whatsoever to change the story's conclusion. After several moments, she finally let Akira go as she stood up to her full height — her eyes automatically glazing over with a confliction of emotions.

It was nothing like the expression she had on before.

Zero prided himself in being able to see into a person's very core — their _soul_ — just through a single glimpse into their eyes. . . but for the first time in his life, he wasn't so sure anymore. He couldn't fully decipher the walking paradox before him, but what he _did_ see was that she seemed utterly twisted with hatred and something else for him.

Regret. Sorrow. Bitterness. Distaste. Anger.

But there was a flicker of something else within those orbs, something that put him completely on edge. He sensed a dark foreshadowing. . . that whatever future lay in store for him would lead to nothing more than a treacherous end.

_Just what is she thinking? _he thought to himself, meeting her gaze dead on without the slightest hesitation.

He frowned amidst his thoughts, as the moment reminded him so very much of their separation all those years ago. It was though they were sieging an all-out war, with their eyes alone.

Amethyst on ruby.

Hues of purple sky shifting into curtains of red.

An avenger with no other purpose. . . tormented to a life of servitude by his inner demons.

A woman who in her conquest for love, had lost her heart in the waging battle.

The thin line between love and hate.

It was though electrifying sparks were flying between them, their eyes communicating all the words that they longed to hear. Meaningless, spoken phrases were unneeded after all, since what could they possibly say after five long years of separation?

She had left without a trace, without a word and without anything left of her.

And now, she had returned once again out of the mist — and he felt a sudden burst of anger course through his veins.

_If she was going to leave, __**why**__ did she come back? Did she return only to prolong this unnecessary torture for us both?_

He strode towards her with confidence, quickly closing the gap between them until he was right in front of her — not once breaking eye contact. He had reached his final resolve, and had accomplished the very thing that the man within him, would've done.

He wasn't that little boy any more the boy plagued with constant conflictions about himself, the boy who was once filled with complete self-doubt of his very own abilities.

It was up to him to break the silence, and say the words they long needed to hear.

"_Why_ didn't you tell me?" Zero hissed, the utmost venom coating his words, whilst his eyes glared daggers. There was no warmth remaining in his eyes, as they glazed over menacingly like a beast about to be released from its prison.

"Just what is there to _tell_, Kiriyu?" Yuuki responded acidly in the very same, cold manner. They were like two deadly predators closing in for the kill.

There was going to be no mercy between them.

Zero did not even falter at hearing her voice again after all those years, but instead closed his eyes and whispered.

"That he is _my_ child."

* * *

Author's Note: Finally, the identity of Akira's mother is revealed, and Yuuki's long awaited appearance!~ Although it probably wasn't a surprise at all for most of you guys, since it is a _Zeki_ fanfic after all ^_^ You guys kept asking me when she would come into the story, and well. . . here she is? LOL. Of course she wouldn't have appeared in the earlier chapters, since it just wouldn't be as interesting, right? ;)

This chapter took me literally _forever_ to write. It was definitely one of those climatic and descriptively long chapters, so I had to proof read it about a million times before I was satisfied. Although it's still not quite to my liking, I hope that you guys enjoyed it nonetheless.

This is just the start of their drama and conflicts, so the angst isn't over yet! From this point onwards, it truly marks the "beginning" of the real story. In a way, you could say that the last two chapters were an "extended prologue" (I tricked you guys, didn't I?)

Oh, and on a completely _different_ note — I recently posted up a new Zeki story called "**Defoliation**". It's kind of an experiment story for me, since I'm trying out different writing styles/techniques, and seeing which one works best for me. It would mean a lot to me if you guys checked it out, and gave me your feedback/input on it.

As always, reviews will be appreciated :)

**— My Endless Love**


	5. The Hands of Fate

**Heaven's Mirror**

_A Work of Fiction by My Endless Love_

* * *

Full Summary: Zero Kiriyu is the infamous leader of the Hunter Association, and is regarded as one of the most powerful figures balancing the strife between humans and vampires. However, he is haunted by the images of the woman he once loved, and the event that changed their lives forever.

Ever since her disappearance from his life five years ago, he has come to the conclusion that he no longer has the capacity to love. On a mission however, he stumbles across a boy with the mirror image of his face. Just what is going on?

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you so, _so_ much for the positive reviews last chapter! I had so much fun reading all of them, and it actually surprised me how many of you guys tried guessing what the "dark secret" is between Yuuki & Zero, and why Yuuki hates him so. Sadly, none of you guys have gotten it so far, which is actually a good thing — since when the secret is unveiled, it'll be all the more surprising, yes? ;)

I do have to say that some of the plot twists you guys mentioned, I actually didn't even think of LOL! Some of them were just so _evil_, I do have to say.

This was one of the most difficult chapters to write thus far, since it was just so _hard_ trying to capture all the emotions of such an intense reunion. I remember reading this over and over, rewriting, and scrapping a lot of things — and I've finally reached "some" level of satisfaction. I hope that you guys enjoy it!

* * *

**Chapter 5: The Hands of Fate**

Yuuki had been to his surprise, rather impassive and utterly callous at the entire scenario. It was as though she was completely unconcerned with the concept that after so many years, he was now right in front of her once again. That was of course, until he had uttered the very forbidden words that neither of them had ever wanted to hear. Her eyes darkened over menacingly at him, unwilling to back down to the challenge he had clearly offered.

She responded quietly, "He is no son of yours."

Her words held a certain unspoken finality, that he knew there would simply be no questioning it. Zero however, was unable to keep his volatile temper under control any longer. She had come to this consensus without even considering _his_ opinion whatsoever, and had decided completely on her own to disappear without a trace. Didn't he have a _right_ as Akira's father, to at least know of his existence?

Just what the hell was going through her mind?

Zero snapped irritably, "Just _look_ at him! His hair. . . his eyes. . . everything about him down to his very toes, even his demeanor and striking personality. . . is the mirror reflection of myself."

Yuuki automatically bristled at his sudden outburst, as her ruby orbs flared to life in anger. How _dare_ he speak to her in such a disrespectable manner! There were just countless reasons as to why she absolutely _despised_ head-on confrontations with Zero, and this was clearly one solid piece of evidence. His terrible temperament was just as _horrible_ as she remembered.

"And what gives you the _right_ to speak to me in that tone of voice!" she hissed, with barely contained rage. It was remarkable how she had trained her self-control with the utmost certainty, and yet just at the mere sight of him, she had completely lost her cool.

Even after all these years, he still managed to sway her emotions so easily, without even breaking a sweat. Something which she found rather disorientating, and was not at all pleased with. Her thoughts however, were interrupted by a gentle tug at her sleeve, as she glanced down in search of the perpetrator. Yuuki was met with watery amethyst eyes, as her beloved, soft-spoken son murmured, "Just what is going on, mommy?"

His question had been laced with the utmost confusion at the ongoing scenario, and she sincerely couldn't have blamed him. Out of the blue, she had told him that they would be moving out of their long beloved home, and into a completely new area which he had absolutely no idea about. He had graciously not questioned her motives, and simply did what he was told. After experiencing years of their chaotic lifestyle, it was as though she had thrust him into an all new vortex of never-ending drama.

Not to mention the fact that he had wandered off yesterday night, and she shuddered to think what he might have run into. _Whilst I am less than thrilled at the sight of Zero. . . I suppose that I am grateful to know that his safety is guaranteed, if he's. . . with __**him**__._

Yuuki stole a glance at Zero once again, only to quickly look away when her ruby orbs met his. Now was simply not the time, and it was a reunion that neither of them had asked for. She turned to look at Akira, as her eyes softened at the sight of his expression. She quietly hushed him, as she whispered gently "It's okay. . . this man and I are just having a little. . . _disagreement_, that's all. No one is going to harm us. . . so please don't worry."

She then turned to glare at the said man before her coldly, and stated with the utmost conviction her voice could muster, "You have no _right_ to call yourself his father, after what happened. . . between us. This is the very last place on earth that I'd rather be, and if I had the choice . . . so help me God I would be a thousand miles away from _you_. But of course, life isn't that easy, is it?"

Yuuki let out a dry chuckle, and rolled her eyes at the cruelty of it all. Just _why_, why oh why did all these unfortunate events have to happen to her? Was it truly coincidental that _he_ would be the one to find and rescue their son? Out of all the people in existence who managed to stumble across him, _why_ did it have to be him?

She continued however, without waiting for him to respond. "As you probably have assumed already, I'm only here because I have certain duties and business to fulfill. Duties which I have no choice but to participate in. I will be taking my leave as soon as possible. I had no intentions of seeing you again, but I suppose with this turn of events, it's impossible to delay the inevitable. We shall leave this discussion for another day. . . a discussion that will be between the _two_ of us."

Yuuki shot in his direction a particularly venomous glare, making it all too clear that their encounter was more so a burden on her than anything else. The meaning behind her words had been nothing short of professional and business-like, and its implications were as clear as day. She had not wanted to see him, and was certain that he had felt the very same.

All that she would offer him was an explanation of the cold hard facts, and nothing more. She held no obligation to him whatsoever, and he to her. After whatever business she had to attend to was completed, she would leave without a trace once again. Yuuki obviously had no issues or qualms in doing so. With one last smouldering look, she grasped the small child's hand and walked away in the opposite direction.

As a gust of wind scattered the leaves beneath his feet, it projected an almost ethereal, mirage-like feel to her departure. It was as though she had vanished into the mist once more before his very eyes, and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. Zero was still in a state of shock over the sequence of events, and could not banish the utmost disbelief that ravaged his entire being.

Whilst admittedly he had been in the wrong for turning away her feelings that passionate night, at the time he simply could not bring himself to forgive her existence as a vampire. It was something that should have never transpired between them, and all that he had ever wanted was for her happiness — even if it meant being with the very man he despised.

At the very least, he could have guaranteed her safety from the vampire world, and a life that possessed some resemblance to peace and normality. During Zero's teenage years, he was truly a walking mess — and if he couldn't even find the will to fix the broken fragments of his life — how could he have possibly trusted himself with the responsibility of someone else's wellbeing?

Not to mention her heart, of all things.

He had been twisted by a deeply ingrained hatred that would have needed years to subside. Kuran Kaname had taken away everything he ever loved and cherished in his life, and it was something that simply could not be forgiven so easily.

He had sent Shizuka after his family, lost his only beloved brother in the process, and finally — forced himself to the very pits of hell where had no choice but to let the girl he loved, walk away into the arms of another. Zero's entire life had been manipulated from the shadows, and inevitably shattered by one man's selfish actions. Who could have truly blamed him for being completely consumed by revenge?

Who could have accused him for losing the will to live, when he had nothing to live for?

His decision to push her away hadn't been easy after all. Zero could still clearly envision the feeling of utmost despair that wrecked his entire being, when he had forced himself to look into her eyes glistening with tears — and tell her he didn't love her.

That she didn't belong with him, but some other.

That he couldn't make her happy, and she couldn't be with him, no matter how hard she tried.

And then, the final blow to the last remnant of his remaining heart — when she finally turned away from him, and ran away into the depths of night.

It was the last time he ever saw her. . . that is, until today.

Zero admitted that he had done wrong. He should have been honest with her, he should have told her how he really felt. . . he should have held her tightly in his arms, and begged her to stay. He should have poured his heart out on the pavement, and who knows how different their future would've become.

However, there was no use dwelling on the past any longer. . . it was a lesson that he had learnt the hard way. Zero couldn't help but ponder on her rather impulsive actions, and found himself unable to reach a proper conclusion.

He knew her. . . he knew her more than anyone else ever could.

She wouldn't have left after only a mere exchange of words. Zero _knew_ that she would have at least told him about her pregnancy, because he had every right to know. Even if their situation had been less than desirable, they would have still put the pieces back together for the sake of their unborn son. Why would she _willingly_ choose the life of carnage, the life of constant danger and where every kind face could very well mean the end?

There was no justifiable enough explanation for Zero, and he found himself at a loss with her reasoning. _Just what are you thinking, Yuuki? Just what is going through your mind?_

At that very moment, the echo of words which he had originally deemed as utterly useless, reverberated into the depths of his mind. "Kaien. . . you _bastard_! I'll kill you and leave you to die in the very depths of hell!" He snarled, as he proceeded to slam his fist down into the concrete beneath his feet.

A large fissure appeared with an ungodly roar, as it quickly stemmed out into small cracks from where his fist had connected with the ground. _If I'm to compensate for street damages, you're paying it out of your check, damn it! _He thought to himself viciously.

Zero decided that he would have a "friendly" confrontation with Kaien tomorrow, since he had cryptically hinted no more than a few hours earlier about an upcoming assignment. An assignment that was more than likely linked to Yuuki's return.

Just why hadn't he realised it sooner?

Anything unfortunate that ever happened to him was always because of a particular senile old man, who paraded around like he knew everything. Not to mention the fact that he continually self-proclaimed to be his rightful 'father', and as his 'guardian' he had every right to meddle in his personal affairs whenever he pleased.

Zero gritted his teeth, as he placed the palm of his hand on his forehead, and proceeded to drag it down the contours of his face.

This really was _not_ his day.

He knew that Kaien had somehow cunningly manipulated the situation, leaving Yuuki with no choice whatsoever but to come back. After all, if she had it her way. . . she would have never returned. She would have remained where she was, far, far away from anything related to his existence. Even if hell threatened to freeze over, or even if the world was about to end because of her impetuous decisions.

Zero couldn't help but feel somewhat fazed by the fact that she had come to despise him so. But of course, he would never ever admit it out loud.

It had been such a long time since she had stared at him with a look of admiration, or the look one might give to someone of utmost importance. How long has it been since he was knocked off that grand pedestal? Just _why_ had it ended like this?

In the short expanse of their time together, they had turned from complete strangers to friends, from allies to lovers, and finally entered an unstable truce as mortal enemies. How had they become so twisted, and so poisoned by the hands of time?

He sighed to himself, as despite his inner turmoil of what to do next — he allowed himself the fleeting grace of a small smile. A genuine smile that was from the deep recesses of his long buried and forgotten heart.

After everything that had transpired between them, he couldn't help but feel glad that she was back.

* * *

After putting Akira to bed that night, she sauntered into the familiar pathway that led to her room. It had been a long day, and all she wanted to do was collapse into her warm, welcoming bed. Yuuki was in desperate need of rest, and the thought of finally being able to close her eyes and enter the realms of sleep had never sounded so wonderful. Even if it was only a temporary escape from reality, it was still her momentary sanctuary that would shield her from the beginning of tomorrow.

For tomorrow signified the greatest test of her life, and the ultimate confrontation of the inner demons that she'd been evading for so long.

The overwhelming temptation of sleep gnawed at her senses so brutally, that only sheer willpower allowed her ruby orbs to stay awake. Never before had her body felt so weak. . . so ravaged with never-ending burdens. . . and driven to the brink of exhaustion. She had truly pushed her body to its utmost limits, both physically and mentally. . . something which she hadn't done in a very long time.

The moment she reached her destination, Yuuki quickly shut the mahogany door behind her and let out a sigh of relief. The fraudulent smile that she had plastered across her face to reassure Akira, was instead replaced with a turbulence of emotion — fear, sadness, and fatigue beyond compare.

It was a smile that was as fleeting as the first signs of snow, and if one hadn't been watching carefully — you would have never thought it was even there in the first place. Yuuki leaned heavily against the polished wood, as she felt her fragile frame being on the verge of collapse.

Yuuki's voice of reason would of without a doubt, not at all tolerated this pitiful behaviour — but at that very moment, she really couldn't bring herself to care. She simply couldn't find the willpower within herself to pick up the pieces, and the determination to pull through.

Just this once. . . she would allow the strong woman within her to stand on the sidelines, whilst her young, idealistic and naive self roamed free. Just this once. . . she would allow herself to succumb to weakness. Yuuki felt herself sliding numbly to the floor, her mind unable to register the simple action. It was as though she had been transported into a completely different world, as her vision began to blur — distorting her room into a parallel like universe.

It had been five years. . . five long years since she had last seen those striking amethyst orbs, and those irresistibly soft, silver haired locks. . . and yet, it still stirred her heart as though it was just yesterday. Although she had been condemned to eternal damnation through looking into Akira's eyes each and every day, it was _nothing _compared to seeing the real thing in the flesh.

Yuuki could still remember the piercing sound of her heart breaking when she saw Akira open his eyes for the first time. . . and saw reflected in her own amber orbs, the very eyes she dreaded to see. It was as though she was being forced to look at him all over again, and that no matter where she went — he would have some form of power over her.

It was as though she could never be free from the traces of his existence in her life.

She placed her hand over her chest, as she felt the erratic pulse of her heartbeat drum against her fingertips. The one question that continued to plague her mind was _why_? Why was it that she had prepared herself for _years_ for that one meeting. . . for that encounter once again. . . but was the one left feeling so incredibly broken? She felt very much like a delicate, porcelain vase placed on the highest, utmost pedestal. . . that was so easily shattered at the slightest touch.

She had promised herself. . . promised for the sake of her son that she would remain strong. That she would always be cool, calm and collected. That she would be able to eradicate all remnants of emotion, all memories pertaining to _him_. At that very moment however, she was anything _but _callous and uncaring.

In fact, so help her God — she _yearned_ for him. She yearned to be able to touch him, to feel the contours of his face against the palms of her hands, and had reveled in the thought of feeling his soft silver locks once again. The warmth of his familiar hands splayed across her back, the comforts of his undeniably loving embrace. . . and the sound of his incessant, husky voice against the shell of her ear, whispering forbidden words that should never see the light of day.

The feeling of his mouth against hers. . . and his tongue relentlessly exploring every crevice of her mouth, tasting every last drop of what she had to offer. The asserting dominance in his demeanor when he had staked his claim, and there had been no doubt at all that she was _his_, and his alone.

Yuuki felt a familiar metallic taste invade her senses, as she quickly realised she had bitten her lower lip hard enough to draw blood. Along with it, was the salty aftertaste of some strange sensation that was rapidly overwhelming her senses.

Tears.

How long had it been since she last allowed herself to cry? She had locked that part of herself away, along with the last remaining remnant of her childhood innocence. To her it was the ultimate manifestation of weakness, and the last remaining sign of the humanity within her, that she had long ago lost.

She smiled to herself bitterly, as she forcefully bit back a sob behind gritted teeth.

_Even after all these years, you still __**want **__him,_ _Yuuki. What a despicable woman you truly are, after you were the one that __**left **__him behind._

Yuuki let out a hollow laugh, as she smirked in utter mockery at the ridiculousness of it all. She couldn't possibly forgive him for what he had done. . . for what he had sinfully committed without remorse. He didn't deserve her forgiveness, after what had happened between them. . . after what he had done to _Kaname _especially.

How could she possibly look at him the same way ever again?

Any love. . . warmth. . . or affection she had once felt for him was long gone. She wouldn't deny that there was indeed a magnetic pull of attraction between them, but it was merely a physical reminder of what they once shared, and nothing more. But adding love into the equation?

She'd damn herself to the very depths of hell before ever even allowing herself to commit such a sinful act.

_My my Yuuki, I thought that you were far more intelligent than this, but obviously I have been mistaken. Haven't you considered the concept, that there is truly a thin line between love and hate? Both are oh so incredibly ardent emotions, that can burn cities to ashes and succumb even the most powerful of men to their very knees. In the throes of passion, who knows which side of the line you might fall?_

Yuuki forcefully pushed the voice of reason back into the recesses of her mind, utterly irritated at its mocking and conceited words. She was beyond the point of loving _anybody_, no less Zero of all people. She had come back merely because of business, and meeting him once again was an obligation at best.

He was an unwanted fragment of her past life. . . of the person that she had left behind. They didn't have a future together, and the pages were rapidly turning. Zero was the end of one story, and she had finally come to terms with her life to start anew.

To start a new story, a new chapter in her life.

Yuuki felt another tear slide down her cheek, as she found herself feeling utterly unconvinced at her own argument. Even it sounded hollow and insincere to her very own ears. And the most painful thing about the whole situation, was the sight of Akira being so. . . incredibly _happy_ after meeting him.

She felt the dull throb of her heartbeat against her chest, and the overwhelming tidal wave of sadness that enraptured her heart at the memory. During their entire trek home, Akira did not once simmer down in his excitement, as he raved on and on about the "silver haired knight" that had rescued him. At every pause, he would continue on the topic without fail, constantly showering the man with nothing short of the highest praises and compliments.

The obvious admiration radiated off him in waves, and all she could do was nod along sadly to his story — feigning cheerfulness for his sake. Yuuki had assumed that it was only natural that he'd secretly desire a father-like figure, since as his mother. . . she knew that he longed for it, deep down inside. Not that he would ever voice his innermost desires, since he was ever so considerate as always to the people around him.

He was only a child, and extremely bright for his age — more so than Yuuki would have ever expected. He _knew_ that he was different from the other children, and that he was somehow missing a part of what a "normal" family comprised of.

"And he never once asked me why he didn't have a father. . . never once complained about our chaotic lifestyle. . . never once _questioned_ me why he was so different from the others. . ." she whispered, as she felt the dam breaking within herself.

The tears continued to fall relentlessly, as in that moment she let out all the pain she had been harboring for the last five years. Yuuki had tried to the best of her ability to cater for his every need, his every whim and his every desire. But she knew that she herself, would never be able to fill that last remaining hole within his heart.

The part of his heart that belonged to the father he was never able to grow up with.

It was the one wish Akira had longed for, that she simply was unable to grant. Yuuki smiled sadly to herself. . . as when the dawn broke tomorrow, and with the inevitable rising of the sun. . . their lives would never be able to return to the way it once was.

Whatever semblance of normalcy they once shared would no longer exist, in the world that they lived in.

Yuuki felt the last of her strength begin to fade away, as she closed her eyes and whispered. . . "I'm sorry Akira. . . that I wasn't able to give you the one thing that you wanted most."

* * *

Author's Note: And of course, their reunion just _had_ to be utterly dramatic, yes? XD I felt that separating the chapter into both their perspectives, just helps us see and understand their feelings towards the situation so much better. It's like being able to see both sides of the story.

Before you guys comment on Zero's rather "OOC" actions/behavior — think about it this way. He has searched for Yuuki for years on end, and after 5 years without any trace of her existence, she appears before his very eyes — coupled with the fact that they now apparently have a "son" together. I think even with Zero's incredible self-control, it's pretty justifiable as to why he acted like that. Also, it just shows how much he is truly affected by Yuuki's return/presence in his life, for him to completely lose his cool.

Whilst Yuuki has indeed returned, the mystery doesn't quite end there yet. There's something in the "bigger picture" that Zero has already noticed. He knows that Yuuki would have told him if they had a child, so what possible reason could there be, that would cause her to refrain from doing so? This reason will of course, be revealed much later in the story :)

The plot will be definitely moving forward in the next few chapters, and I hoped that you guys enjoyed this update.

As always, reviews will be appreciated!

**— My Endless Love**


	6. Mutual Interest

**Heaven's Mirror**

_A Work of Fiction by My Endless Love_

* * *

Full Summary: Zero Kiriyu is the infamous leader of the Hunter Association, and is regarded as one of the most powerful figures balancing the strife between humans and vampires. However, he is haunted by the images of the woman he once loved, and the event that changed their lives forever.

Ever since her disappearance from his life five years ago, he has come to the conclusion that he no longer has the capacity to love. On a mission however, he stumbles across a boy with the mirror image of his face. Just what is going on?

* * *

Author's Note: I have been reading _all_ of your reviews for the past chapter, and a lot of you guys commented on Yuuki's "OOC" behaviour. I agree wholeheartedly that she is definitely not acting like her usual self, but all I can say for now is to please bear with the story and continue reading ^_^" There is a reason for_ everything_ in this story, and all will be revealed in due time.

The reasons for their sour relationship, Yuuki's deep hatred and the "ultimate secret" will all be answered when the time is right :) There will be subtle hints here and there that add up to the "grand scheme" of things, and I'm curious as to whether or not you guys will pick up on the clues.

But of course for now, I'll just keep my lips sealed and let you guys enjoy the ride ;)

* * *

**Chapter 6: Mutual Interest**

Zero travelled up the familiar, well worn entrance of the Hunter Association, whilst squinting in utter irritation at the morning sun's rays glinting uncomfortably against his amethyst eyes. His eyes had always been more so sensitive than others, and if he had the choice, so help him God he'd be a thousand miles away from this abominable place. Whilst he assumed the role of President, it did not necessarily mean that he had to feel any sort of sentimental attachment towards the place.

In fact, he absolutely detested the building with the utmost passion and was inwardly thrilled when he was placed on field missions, instead of the usual paperwork. Not that he'd ever openly express it of course. He simply replied in his trademark grunt, and accepted the task without a second of complaint.

The building held the ominous, suffocating atmosphere of vampires — something which he could very well do without. It poisoned his senses beyond compare, and the overwhelming stench of decay sickened him like no other.

The other reason that further grated on his nerves that morning was the sheer fact that he was _not_ a morning person. He didn't like the idea of _willingly _going into an environment that required human interaction, and would much rather complete his tasks alone — away from the prying eyes of others. It was one of the major cons of being President, as lecherous worms would constantly seek his approval, and plaster fraudulent smiles across their faces in the hopes of a raise.

He'd surely burn down all their houses before ever even _considering_ such a prospect.

Several people who walked past him immediately recognised his menacing aura, and quickly bowed out of fear and respect, their faces filled with the utmost surprise. It wasn't everyday that their President would willingly choose to appear at the Association, and it was more so uncharacteristic to see him in the morning of all times. He gave them the faintest of nods, not even fully registering their faces.

_How odd. . . at such early hours of the morning, I was certain that I would encounter no one. Work fully begins at the Association in a few hours. . . so what could have possibly happened for the hunters to gather at this god forsaken time of the day? _

Zero simply shook the thought aside, merely dismissing it as him over thinking a minor detail. After all, what they did held absolutely no importance to him, so why should he waste his precious time pondering over it? Besides, he only came today to seek out one man, for the answers he wanted. . . no, _needed _to hear.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have bothered coming at all.

"Kaien Cross. . . you should pray for your life that I won't _decapitate_ your head today. . ." muttered Zero, as he felt his irritation double almost twofold.

He flexed his tightening fists, and relaxed his tense knuckles. It simply wouldn't do if he wasn't in the right mindset for a confrontation, and if he knocked Kaien unconscious — it would merely deter him from the answers he long sought. It was quite the difficult feat, considering the fact that he'd encountered Yuuki only yesterday, and was almost certain that he'd be meeting her again today.

The moment he set foot into the Association however, he knew immediately that something was amiss. His senses were lit aflame, as his amethyst eyes quickly darted around the main hall — surveying the situation before him. Usually at this ungodly hour of the morning, there would hardly be any personnel milling about. After all, why would one willingly go to work early, when it wasn't necessarily required?

And yet today, the amount of people present before him rivaled the very number of hunters at peak hour during the day. Zero's eyes narrowed in suspicion, as he knew that assignments were _not_ completed at this hour. Vampire hunting or scout teams sent out for reconnaissance missions were only deployed at sunset, as that was the time when vampires would awaken from their slumber. Only at sunset, would they crawl out from hiding, and strike unarmed prey.

Anyone remaining would not even reach a _quarter_ of the people milling about before him today. Not to mention the fact that the atmosphere was strangely tense, as his eyes narrowed in dawning realisation. Everyone seemed rather restless, and on edge — as though waiting for something to happen.

Something dark and foreboding, he was sure.

He placed a palm to his forehead, and simply shook his head. Things simply were _not_ going well for him. Zero let out a sigh of irritation, as he regained his usual composure, continuing on his destination seemingly unfazed by the sudden turn of events.

Countless nervous greetings were fired at him left and right, whilst the bolder ones attempted a cheery smile in his direction. Zero suppressed the urge to snicker at how utterly stupid they all looked when doing so, but instead walked past them without a second glance. Zero was in no mood to tolerate idiotic behaviour, and he wasn't entirely certain that he had the self control to stop himself from giving at least _one_ person a concussion that day.

As he swiftly maneuvered his way through the throng of people, he paused for a fraction of a second as his eyes recognised someone worthy of his respect.

Toga Yagari.

He came to a halt in his stride, as the said man before him did the very same with a mirthful glint in his eye.

"Look what the cat dragged in. What on earth could have _possibly_ convinced you to be willingly present at the Association on this fine day?"

His words dripped with sarcasm, as his cocky smirk only widened at Zero's scowl. It wasn't every day that he had the chance to tease his favourite student, and he sure as hell wasn't letting the opportunity slide by. Zero however, merely shook his head — choosing not to rise to the petty bait.

On better days he would choose to entertain the man's questionable sense of humor, but today he wasn't sure whether or not he could stand another imbecile's blatant stare in his direction. Something had happened, and he was going to find out exactly what it was.

Gauging Zero's little to no reaction, Yagari shrugged "What's up _your_ ass today? Tch, how boring. And I thought you'd at least put up a fight. Don't tell me you've gotten soft already, Zero?"

Zero ignored his snide innuendos, as his eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'm not an idiot, Yagari. Just what has happened today at the Association for everyone to be in complete and utter turmoil? I return after only a few days to see _this_ in front of my sight. Don't tell me a group of _grown_ men, no less fearsome vampire hunters, need me to stick around and _babysit_?"

Yagari immediately hesitated and froze in his response, choosing instead to shift his eyes just the slightest fraction. Zero immediately clenched his fist, his suspicions lit aflame and unfortunately, confirmed. For Yagari to ever even _pause_ for a second with his sharp tongue, then it was obviously something worthy of his time.

"Are you sure you aren't being delusional, Zero? Maybe your excessive consumption of blood tablets have finally gotten to your head," Yagari commented offhandedly, laughing nervously.

Zero's eyes narrowed, and in a flash too fast for the naked eye to see, he had Yagari by the collar and had slammed him into a nearby wall. For those who would have witnessed the sight, it would have seemed anatomically impossible for Zero to move so fast, _and_ be able to lift a man almost twice his size.

But those who did hear the name Zero Kiriyu, and had seen him in action knew that this wasn't even scratching the surface of his true abilities. He had grown into a fearsome and powerful man, a being revered by all those who knew him, or ever unwittingly strayed across his path. Not to mention the fact that he had quite a hefty bounty above his head, and was quite possibly the most wanted man in the country.

Zero leaned in close, as he whispered seethingly, "Don't you _dare_ attempt to brush off the topic, Yagari. You may be my former teacher, but I am not so merciful to those who lie. I won't hesitate to kill you if you don't tell me now, and if I find out later that it was not the truth — I _will_ wring your neck and give you a rather. . . _memorable_ funeral."

If Zero had said that to anyone else, with his signature glare in place — they would have surely gone running for the hills, if not groveled before him without an ounce of shame. They would cower their heads begging for mercy, pleading for him to spare their lives. But, not Yagari.

Instead of feeling even an _iota_ of fear, he instead barked out in mirthful laughter — extremely amused by his current predicament. Zero couldn't help but smirk dryly at his former teacher's reaction, since it was exactly what he had expected. Even in his dying moments, Yagari would never _once_ lower his head for anybody. He was a prideful bastard that way, but held an inextinguishable fire within him that Zero deeply respected.

After all, he was the only man in existence whom Zero revered as worthy of his respect, and even _allowed_ him to take him beneath his tutelage. If he could not gain the respect of his students, then he was an unworthy teacher — simple as that. Zero slowly loosened his grip on the man's collar, as Yagari dusted himself off without a care in the world — completely disregarding the fact that just a second ago, his life had been clearly threatened.

Yagari sighed, shaking his head — the mirthful glint never once leaving his eyes. "I really can't hide anything from you, Zero. I suppose it's only natural since you _are_ the 'beloved' President of the Hunter Association, and my _precious_ little student."

He shot Zero a mocking smile, as he snorted in return. _Precious student my ass. I still remember that time when you threw me in a swamp full of crocodiles claiming it was "survival training" whist you stood on the sidelines reciting your stupid poetry. And when I finished the task, you were nowhere to be found. . . bastard. _

Yagari's expression quickly darkened however, as Zero became rapt in attention. He let out a sigh, as he paused in his words. He didn't want to be the harbinger of bad news, but it was simply the inevitable. Zero _had_ to know, and if it wasn't from him — then it was going to be from another pompous idiot who was not even capable of understanding the true gravity of the situation.

He took a deep breath, as he said quietly "Everyone is in a terrible uproar since. . . Kuran Yuuki stormed into the Association this morning. I think everyone is still in complete disbelief of the situation, since we've been searching for traces of her for so long. . . and yet she appeared right before our very eyes."

"To most of us, it's like as if a ghost has suddenly materialized out of nowhere. Others feel a sense of incompetency or even admiration at the fact that she has evaded our radar for so long. In fact, I don't even know how she breached the security of the Association so easily. Heck, she just _waltzed_ right in!" Yagari said, barking in laughter as he imagined that _puny_ little girl striding into a place where she could have died a thousand times over.

No vampire alive would have dared to commit what she did today, and for that he would respect her guts. After all, whilst it was quite admirable and brave, it was incredibly _stupid_ as well. It was the equivalent to a suicide mission, or walking right into a minefield — whilst being well aware of the possible consequences. He continued as he noticed Zero's expression darkening. . . making no indication to move whatsoever.

"She's been in Kaien Cross' office for the past hour, and has yet to come out. In the meantime, no one has dared to approach the room, so we're practically all on standby for whatever it is to happen."

Zero's eyes widened at this new found revelation, as he then quickly stormed off without another word. Yagari called after him, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "Don't do anything _rash_, Zero! Even if you're the President, the Council won't go easy on you! And you could at least _thank_ me for sparing my precious time!"

Zero merely disappeared round the corner without a second glance, whilst Yagari shook his head and muttered underneath his breath, "What an _ignorant_, disrespectful little brat! That kid never changes, no matter what I say. . . "

He leaned against the nearby wall in contemplation, as he crossed his muscular arms over the broad expanse of his chest. In all the years he'd known Kaien, he wasn't underneath any delusions that the man had some common sense. In fact, he was probably lacking in that department more so than anyone else. He'd done some incredibly outrageous things that he still questioned until this very day, and always made the most troublesome, out of this world demands.

But in spite of that, Yagari had to admit that he wasn't _stupid_. When the situation called for it, he would step up to the task without a moment's hesitation. After all, he wasn't regarded as the infamous Vampire Hunter in his youth without reason.

_Just how the hell did you regress into such a state where you lack even the most basic common sense?_ thought Yagari, smirking.

He knew that Kaien wasn't doing this completely on a whim, or acting without any thought or consideration for the whole entire picture. After all, if Kaien was certain that Yuuki and Zero would kill each other on the very first day, he would have never forced her to return.

Which raises the question, how the hell did he manage to bring her back? They had searched for her for _years_ on end, sent their best scouting teams out on constant missions, looking for even the _slightest_ trace of her existence but to no avail. And for that alone, Yagari would give Kaien some respect — since the tactic he used to bring her back must have been pretty damn good.

_Was it bribery of some sort? A secret undercover recon mission that I wasn't aware of? Kidnapping? Unforeseen ambush? __**Bondage**__? _

Yagari let out a chuckle at that, finding it quite disturbingly a rather likely possibility — considering Kaien's utterly unpredictable personality. Not to mention his whimsical desires. . . which were often made without any form of logical reasoning.

As he mulled over the situation before him, he came to a sudden epiphany. Whilst Zero was indeed a formidable opponent through and through on the field, and was without a doubt a man of immense talent incomparable for generations to come — he was still _lacking_ in one aspect.

He lacked the will to live, and the will to strive for a common goal.

Yagari was no fool, and he had watched Zero for the last twenty or so years without fail. He had seen the fire in his eyes extinguish with the loss of Yuuki, and eventually even his motivation for slaughtering vampires had seeped away. When he killed, there was no longer a purpose in his movements — in fact, it seemed robotic and without feeling.

He was merely going through the motions, without truly understanding why he was doing so. And that, would eventually be his downfall. Against even an opponent of lesser skill — if they had the strive, the will, and the desire to live, Zero would without a doubt lose.

If he didn't even want to _live_ anymore, why would he continue fighting for something he didn't believe in?

For once in his life, Yagari admitted to being _concerned_ about him. He knew that Zero was nearing the end of the line, and if he didn't find that _will_ soon. . . it may just be too late to save him.

_No. . . _ he thought to himself. _Only he can find the power to save himself. No one can offer him that redemption and salvation that he so needs to continue living. _

He pondered the thought a little longer, before a wry smirk spread across his lips. "Kaien, you sly and cunning _bastard_."

All the pieces fit together, and he didn't know why the hell he didn't figure it out sooner. He pushed himself off the wall, as he nonchalantly began walking to his prior destination.

_Maybe. . . just maybe. . . bringing Yuuki back into his life just might be good for him._

* * *

Zero paused outside the familiar door leading to Kaien's office, as he realised the utter ridiculousness of the entire situation. Never once did he consider the idea that he would _willingly_ pay the senile, old man a visit. He raised his hand to knock, something highly uncharacteristic of himself to do so — but froze in his movements as he heard Yuuki's piercing yell, "He's only _five_ years old! Just what the hell are you thinking, old man?"

It seemed as though it was a wise choice of his to choose not to barge in as he usually did. For once in his life, he was unsure of what to do next in his current predicament. It was difficult enough for the both of them to see one another again after all these years, and with their given situation — it was possibly the worst time ever for an unwanted reunion.

He was going to be interrupting an incredibly important conversation between Kaien and Yuuki, something of which he was certain she had no intentions of him hearing. He shook his head, and smirked wryly to himself. Where was the Zero Kiriyu he once knew so well? The Zero he knew would have barged in without a second thought, and taken the answers he needed — whether or not anybody approved of it.

He was a man of action, not words. It didn't matter what other people thought of him, and he sincerely didn't care either way. So, why was he hesitating now of all times? It was either now or never. As though sensing his resolve, he heard Kaien beckon him from inside the room, "Come in!"

Zero entered the room without a second thought, as he felt a throb of pain in his chest at the all too familiar scene. Yuuki standing before Kaien's desk, obviously immersed in conversation with him prior to his entrance. It reminded him so very much of when they were the Guardians of the Academy, and would give daily reports to him on the current happenings of the school.

His face showed no indication of his thoughts however, as he closed the door softly behind him and took his usual place in front of Kaien's desk. At his appearance, Yuuki had immediately whirled around to face the unwanted intruder — and her glare intensified twofold at the recognition of his presence. Despite the suffocating atmosphere however, Kaien seemed extremely amused by the situation before him and completely ignored the radiating killing intent from the two other individuals in the room.

"I would have never believed that there would be a day when the 'great' Hunter Association President would wait oh so timidly by my door, instead of barging in as per usual!"

Zero's irritation intensified, as he narrowed his eyes dangerously — choosing to glare at the source of his frustration. He ignored the comment offhandedly, as he didn't want to be there any longer than necessary. The room was stifling to him, and if he had a choice. . . he would choose to be anywhere but there.

"I came here merely to hear about the 'assignment' which I have been given, although I am quite curious as to _why_ the Association is in such an uproar. I suppose it doesn't have anything to do with you. . . does it, _Kaien_?"

Kaien gulped at the palpable, murderous intent in his words, and glanced at Yuuki — slowly gauging her reaction. She was as emotionless as ever and was waging a staring match with the wall above his head. He silently interpreted it as her approval for him to proceed. After all, if she had not wanted Zero to partake in their conversation whatsoever, she would have surely departed from the room the moment he had appeared.

He turned to Zero, and stared at him unwaveringly — smoldering amber upon ashes, against the amethyst hues of twilight. His face held no trace of its previous mirth, and his lips were pursed into a thin line of all seriousness. Whatever he was about to say, was to be taken at face value. For him to completely lose his cheerful exterior facade, even Zero was rather curious as to what the assignment entailed.

At the same time, he was dreading the words that he could possibly utter, for him to be acting so uncharacteristically out of line.

Kaien took a deep breath, as he began to recap what he had told Yuuki earlier.

"As you are already well aware Zero, after the battle against Rido at the academy, the balance between vampires and humans was thrown into complete and utter chaos — the likes which we've never ever seen before. With the eruption of chaos, the purebloods proceeded to go into either hibernation, hiding or were slaughtered by others. . . or perhaps by their own doing. It was a situation far beyond our control, and as much as I hate to admit it — without the pureblood rule and powers, vampires of all kinds truly manifested into the ravaging beasts of desire they are within."

"It was an endless cycle of slaughter. . . lives were taken ruthlessly without reason, and sacrifices were made by both sides. Our group of vampire hunters truly took the brunt of the war. Fortunately after a while, the attacks eventually slowed down with their drop in numbers — thanks to our handy work. Whilst vampire attacks are not as brutal as they once were, there is _still_ a steady rate happening. . . very much like what happened when you rescued that child the other day, Zero."

Zero felt a cold chill down his spine at the insinuation of his words, as he paused in wait for the true meaning of what he was leading up to.

"Whilst vampire attacks are certainly dwindling. . . our hunter population didn't emerge unscathed, or victorious. We suffered a severe drop in numbers on the outbreak of war all those years before. As you already know Zero, vampire hunters are on the verge of extinction if this continues. More are dying than being replaced, and it's not exactly a profession that is at the top of the list. After all, you can't even guarantee whether or not you'll live until the very next day. There aren't enough skilled hunters on the field either, to train. . . new recruits."

"Many hunters that aren't properly trained and are sent out regardless. . . are killed almost instantly in the field. . . and in the most brutal of ways. It's the same as sending them out to die, and we can't keep doing this any longer. If we had a choice, we would have never even condoned it in the first place."

"And so," Kaien paused, returning to eye Zero warily once again. He wasn't going to like this whatsoever. "Whilst no one can question your abilities on the field, Zero. . . this is an assignment that only you can do. You are the best of the best, and I'm not complimenting you either."

Zero rolled his eyes in response, impatient to hear the bottom line of his unwanted speech. As Hunter Association President, he was well aware of the times and their states of matter — he didn't need Kaien to retell the whole entire story. Kaien glanced at Yuuki, as he saw her bite her lip . . . in wait for the words to come. Her knuckles had turned white, and her frame was quivering ever so slightly — very much like a windup toy that had been recklessly pushed too far.

Any further, and she might as well be broken beyond repair.

He let out a sigh, as he redirected his gaze to those familiar amethyst orbs that never failed to intimidate him. Kaien stared at him, gauging his reaction. He was as ready as ever, and he saw within him the aura of a man.

He really wasn't that little boy anymore, drenched in blood — unmoved by even his own family's untimely death.

Kaien cleared his throat, and murmured gravely "I want you to train Yuuki's son, Akira Kuran the way of Vampire Hunters."

Zero at that moment, felt as though he had suddenly been electrocuted, as his amethyst orbs widened in response. He forced himself to remain calm, with only the trembling of his hands being a dead give away to the inner conflict he was currently experiencing. It felt as though his whole world had gone down under, with his body being relentlessly pushed away by the tide.

His path had been chosen, and there was no turning back. The turbulent current would accept no defiance, and if he dared — he may as well lose the very last remaining remnant of his humanity.

His throat had become completely parched at the revelation, as he forced the words out between gritted teeth, "But he's so young. . . and _why_ Akira of all children? There are plenty of others from the remaining Vampire Hunter families who also have the potential to be future candidates. Don't underestimate their lineage and abilities, Kaien."

Kaien chuckled at his words, and shook his head. "And whose lineage is the most prestigious of them all? The Kiriyu's were infamous for their Vampire Hunting affinities, and intense ruthless training. _You_ were trained to seek out vampires and destroy them on sight the moment you could walk. In comparison to Akira at this point in time, you could even say he started _late_."

He watched as Zero averted his gaze, seeming to resign into deep contemplation. He continued "You ask, why him? Well Zero, I met Akira the other day with Yuuki, and from first sight alone — I could sense an incredible amount of . . . _Vampire Hunter_ blood coursing through his veins."

To further rub salt into the wound, he slyly glanced over at Yuuki — her ruby red orbs looking as though she was dearly tempted to slaughter him, then and there. _My my, how you've grown my dear Yuuki. Several years ago, you were far too meek to ever even look at anybody with such fearsome eyes. It seems as though you've grown quite strong, and are no longer a bird hidden beneath its mother's wings. . . but rather a swan that was meant for the sky. _

"This, coupled with the fact that he has the potential abilities to unlock his pureblood powers. . . nonetheless, the blood of the Kuran, the ancestor of all vampires . . . the one family possessing the thickest and most powerful blood in all existence."

Kaien took a deep breath, as he turned to Zero — surprised that he was taking the proposal relatively well thus far. After all, his volatile temperament was not to be underestimated, and at any moment he could easily lose control. He could wreck havoc on the Association with his bare hands, and slaughter hundreds of their men with barely a scratch on his sleeve.

Zero scowled, as he replied indignantly "Why not Yagari? I don't have the _time_ to be babysitting little kids, when I have more important duties to attend to."

Yuuki's quiet snort echoed throughout the room, as Zero carelessly brushed it off. After all, the paramount importance of this mission weighed heavily on his shoulders — and he would be damned to the very depths of hell if he didn't even _attempt_ to negotiate it whatsoever.

Kaien replied crossly, as though scolding a small child "How many times do I have to emphasise this idea to you, Zero? The only reason you're out in the field is because we're short on numbers as it is. It was never your original duty. We would never willingly put you underneath a situation where you'll be at risk, unless we had no other choice. Yagari is growing old Zero. . . and you've by far surpassed him in terms of abilities over the years. You're the best candidate for this kind of assignment, since your tutelage will without a doubt be the best. You'll raise a magnificent student, Zero."

"Remember what you bargained for when you became President. The needs of the organization stands before all else. . . even your own personal feelings," Kaien finished with a note of finality.

Zero's eyes darkened in reluctant defeat, as his words held a grain of truth. They lived in a world where emotions were viewed as a hindrance, a tool to be exploited and was the ultimate liability. He had signed away his fate when he chose to take on the Kiriyu name, and succeed as Hunter Association President. There was no such thing as choices, or indecisions. . . and if it was in the best interests of the Association, then there would be no question as to where his duty lay.

After all, duty was held above all else — even his honour, his pride. . . and his heart's innermost desires.

Kaien paused, as his lips slowly morphed into a grin, a mischievous glint in his eye. As though sensing Zero's change of mood, his expression no longer held the dark seriousness it had before. He chuckled, as he said slyly "Besides Zero. . . see this as somewhat of a _soul searching_ experiment, hm?"

Zero gritted his teeth, and summoned all the mental will power he possessed to not completely _annihilate_ the man in front of him. Kaien _knew_ that he had already met Akira, as he himself had seen with his very own eyes the silver haired child at the Association, not too many days before. Kaien _knew_ that he was the father, as the innuendo he had insinuated to Yuuki hadn't fallen on deaf ears. The Vampire Hunter blood flowing through his veins was undoubtedly _his_.

Zero understood that Kaien's reasoning for taking on an apprentice was sound, and was indeed beneficial to the Association if he were to ever need a successor. At the same time however, Zero knew that the _real _reason behind it all was to satisfy his own sick, love match-making shenanigans. Somehow Kaien had brought it on himself to play the role of an unwanted cupid, and become the "red string of fate" that tied him and Yuuki back together.

Which was of course, impossible at that point in time, as she was glaring at him as though she wanted to tear his throat out at any given opportunity. _I wonder how long Kaien has known about all this. . . for how many years has he kept in contact with her, to bring her back so easily? How long has it been, since he kept this a secret from me? _thought Zero darkly.

Zero stared at Kaien head on without blinking, as the man before him flashed a sheepish grin in return. Zero smirked at him . . . before raising his fist and slamming it into the desk in front of him. It shattered immediately on impact, as splinters were sent flying across the room. Fortunately for Kaien, time had not quite dulled his Vampire Hunter senses. . . as he barely maneuvered himself out of his seat at the very last second.

All that was left of the once-standing desk was large splinters of wood, irreversibly jagged like shards of shattered glass. Whatever belongings that were placed in the drawers spilled across the floor, as the room fell into deathly silence.

He recoiled in a comedic fashion, seemingly appalled at the entire situation. "Is this what you do to your poor, old father?"

Zero glared, before sighing and closing his eyes in an attempt to calm his raging temper. He massaged his temples, and after a few long moments — he opened his amethyst orbs once more. The storm within his eyes had subsided to an eerie calm, but it wasn't over just yet. After all, storms were utterly unpredictable in their movements, and could return when you least expected it.

". . . When do I start?" muttered Zero quietly.

"Tomorrow" Kaien replied curtly, whilst dusting his coat of the wood shavings that had managed to cling onto the fabric.

Up until this point, Yuuki had been silent throughout their exchange, but at this conclusion — she felt something inside of her snap. "_What?_ Don't I have any say in this? I am his _mother_ for god's sake!"

She was at her breaking point, and was barely holding herself together. "You and I both know that I only came here to refuse this outrageous request! If I had any other choice, I would not have come here in person at all. Otherwise, I would have stayed a thousand miles away from this abominable place. Just. . . _why_ are you doing this to me. . . ?" she almost pleaded.

Her voice had softened down to a whimper, as she sent an accusatory glare in Kaien's direction — her so called "father". Her gaze held a mixture of emotions — anger, disappointment, confusion. . . but above all, _hurt_. She had trusted him with her deepest, darkest secret, but at that very moment, she could taste the overwhelming sense of betrayal on her tongue.

Yuuki just didn't know what was going through his mind anymore. Why did it feel as though her one and only confident had left her side. . . just like everybody else?

Kaien sighed, as he shifted his gaze to the floor — utterly torn between two sides. He forced the clenched fists by his sides to relax, as he calmed his rapid breathing. How his heart ached for her, and how he sincerely wished that things hadn't ended up this way.

_I'm sorry that I'm hurting you Yuuki. . . but this is something that I must do. . . maybe someday you'll understand, that this was all for __**you**__. _

He turned to gaze at her lovingly, his eyes no longer clouded with hesitation. With the utmost conviction his voice could muster, he said "You're my only daughter, Yuuki. . . but this is the one thing that I just cannot allow. That boy. . . Akira, has so much potential. . . that he might even surpass his own father someday. _You_ cannot protect him from the world out there forever. I know that you love him, but the reality is — he's going to be hunted no matter where he goes, because no matter how much you deny it Yuuki, it's in his blood. He is more or less a _pureblood vampire_. He needs to learn how to defend himself, because you're not always going to be there.

". . . And as much as you hate the idea, Zero is the best man for the job. Don't let your personal feelings get in the way of what really matters, Yuuki."

Kaien reached out a hand to adjust his glasses, and straightened himself up — signifying their end of discussion. "We'll start tomorrow, and I'll want reports from the both of you soon."

He carefully stepped over the remains of his beloved desk, as he glanced regretfully in its direction. However, after a quick analysis of Zero's profile — he decided to keep quiet about compensating him for his lost desk. With that boy's terrible temperament, even he was not quite daft enough to provoke his anger. _It was such a great desk too. . . _he thought to himself sadly.

_Hm, but I suppose there's always __**other**__ times to ask Zero _he added as an afterthought, smirking deviously to himself.

Kaien glanced at Yuuki before he departed, for one last, longing moment. _I'm sorry that I had to do this Yuuki. . . but you can't keep running away from the past forever. This will be good. . . for the both of you. _

As the receding echoes of his footsteps gradually faded away, the silence that was left in his wake was nothing short of strained. Without glancing at his remaining companion in the room, Zero stated bluntly "So, he is my son after all. . ."

Yuuki sighed in defeat, as she reluctantly admitted ". . .Yes. . . he is indeed. . . "

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, the question echoing their reunion which had happened only the day before. This time however, it was without malice, anger or hatred. . . in fact, it held a certain tenderness that Yuuki had almost forgotten it even existed.

It was the voice and side of him that Yuuki had fallen in love with, a long, long time ago.

She felt herself relaxing, as she no longer radiated waves of hostility. If he asked her in such a way, she couldn't help but feel compelled to at least tell him _something_.

"After what you did. . . after everything that had happened between us. . . how could I have possibly told you? I did what was best for me. . . and for Akira," she whispered quietly.

Zero slowly digested her words, as his mind began to contemplate the deep meaning behind them. Just what could he have done, that had forced her into such a predicament to make such a devastating choice? Whilst their parting had not been on the best of terms, wouldn't she have at least considered telling him of Akira's existence?

What could have pushed her into a corner, where she had no choice but to flee? He could see in her whole entire demeanor, that the things she had experienced were ones that no being on earth should ever endure. It had changed her, in more ways than one. The woman standing before him was a completely different person from the one he once knew, and he found himself becoming deeply unsettled by the concept.

She was the Yuuki he had always known, and loved. . . and yet, she seemed almost like a stranger to him. She was so close within his reach, and yet — he knew he'd never be able to even lift a finger to touch her.

She was no longer someone he could see a future with.

He gazed at her, as he fought the urge to ask her what he had done. What had forced her to choose the path of no return? Zero however, decided not to press the matter. . . after all, what right did he have to do so? Whatever they once had was long in the past. . . and to bring it up again was like tearing open old wounds.

Neither of them were ready for this, no matter how much time had passed between them. As he continued to stare at her, he realised that perhaps, somewhere deep down inside of her was the Yuuki he'd always known. Buried so deeply in a locked chamber, crying to escape. It was then he knew, that it wasn't too late.

Whatever it was he needed to know, would be revealed in due time.

It was at that very moment, that she finally turned to face him. She stared at him so profoundly, as though seeing him again for the very first time. It was the kind of bewildered look a blind man would give, as he tasted his very first sampling of the world around him. It was the very same unwavering gaze that he had always remembered, from the girl he once fell in love with.

Her ruby red orbs sparkled with the slightest hint of tears, as she pleaded with him "Please. . . don't tell him that you're his father. It's far too soon. . . just what will he think? He's at a strange place away from home, and after experiencing such an ordeal — there's now this as well? It'll be too much for him to bear. I want you to train him fairly without favoritism, and for him to learn underneath the guise of a teacher without relation. It's what's best for him. . . at this point in time."

After a long moment, Zero numbly nodded. He had regressed into a state of shock after seeing those familiar eyes once again. . . and that heart wrenching ruby gaze that had been burned ever so vividly in his memories, despite the length of time that had separated them. For the first time ever, he found himself unable to turn away and his self-control was nowhere to be found.

Zero could feel the deepest recesses of his heart stirring, something which he hadn't felt in a long time. How long has it been since he last felt so _human_? He had convinced himself so completely that he wasn't capable of loving anyone. . . no less himself, but at the sight of her . . . he really wasn't so sure anymore.

For once in his life, he didn't feel quite so much the emotionless avenger that he had always believed himself to be.

How many times had he seen in his dreams that _look_? And now, she was standing right before him, and so close within his reach. Zero fought the urge to embrace her, to comfort her, to touch her and affirm that she was truly real. That what he was seeing wasn't some kind of twisted dream, or hallucination he had concocted within his mind. He wanted to _protect _her. . . just like he always did before.

This wish was shattered however, with the words that she uttered out of her mouth. "This is an agreement based only on mutual interests, and nothing more. No personal feelings, no interferences, nothing which happened in our past matters anymore. Everything . . . is for the sake of . . . our son."

Without waiting for his response, she gave him the fleeting ghost of a smile. . . before departing. The entire moment had felt so incredibly surreal and was over before he knew it, that he found himself questioning whether or not it really happened.

Perhaps that smile that was as fleeting as the fall of cherry blossoms in the spring, was a misconstrued figment of his imagination after all.

He felt a small, wry smirk spread across his features, before shaking his head.

_An agreement based only on mutual interests. . . just how long will such a fragile conformity last. . . before the time stops ticking. . . before the tide sweeps us away . . . before the balance shatters, and it all comes crumbling down?_

* * *

Author's Note: This was the longest, and most difficult chapter to write so far, **hands down**. It is _twice_ as long as the chapter lengths I usually write, and I was planning to split it — but I felt that separating it into two separate chapters would just take away the atmosphere of the story. This is where everything truly begins. From now on, the plot will be really moving forward into the "true story". If you guys felt that this chapter was too long, I will keep it in mind for future writings ^_^

Was it too descriptive? Too dragged out? Did you lose interest? Please let me know!

Also, I recently updated Defoliation so if you guys were interested in another Zeki story, feel free to check it out :) As always, reviews will be appreciated.

**— My Endless Love**


	7. The Meaning of Zero

**Heaven's Mirror**

_A Work of Fiction by My Endless Love_

* * *

Full Summary: Zero Kiriyu is the infamous leader of the Hunter Association, and is regarded as one of the most powerful figures balancing the strife between humans and vampires. However, he is haunted by the images of the woman he once loved, and the event that changed their lives forever.

Ever since her disappearance from his life five years ago, he has come to the conclusion that he no longer has the capacity to love. On a mission however, he stumbles across a boy with the mirror image of his face. Just what is going on?

* * *

**Chapter 7: The Meaning of Zero**

Although Yuuki was uncertain and indecisive about many things in her life, the one thing she knew with complete and utter certainty was that she did _not_ want to be here.

She had woken up dreading and cursing the day, wishing to whatever deity that existed out there for it to never arrive. But of course, time showed no mercy to her qualms, and continued on its slow trickle unfazed. As reluctant as she was to get out of bed that morning, she knew that she was simply delaying the inevitable. Not to mention the fact that her current behaviour and naive desires were just so incredibly childish, that she found herself inwardly cringing for even _contemplating_ such ideas.

Yuuki blamed it entirely on Zero, since for as long as she remembered he always had some kind of strange effect on her.

In front of others, she was cool, calm and collected. The true epitome of a Goddess of Ice, as she never once hesitated in her actions, or what she truly believed in. Her movements were never without grace and certainty, and she would heartlessly kill in the blink of an eye if _anybody_ even remotely threatened the safety of herself and her son.

But in front of Zero? She found herself constantly hesitating, her emotions uncontrollably bubbling forth to the surface, and would make mistakes that were considered appalling for even a _rookie_. The most unnerving fact of all was that ever since seeing him again, she had begun to entertain _forbidden_ thoughts.

Thoughts that should never ever be pondered on. She found herself wondering about his well being. . . what he had been up to throughout the years. . . just how was he? Mentally? Physically? Emotionally? She found herself curious. . . heck, even _worrying_ about his state of mind! After yesterday's events, Yuuki found herself on more than one occasion dearly wishing to brutally murder her voice of reason.

They could _never_ return to the relationship they once had. . . or even any relationship at all for that matter. Hell, she even called the shots yesterday and stated that they were both acting purely on "mutual interests" alone.

It could never happen. . . it would _not_ happen. . . she would not _allow_ for it to happen.

_Often those things we regard as certain, can surprise us with their uncertainty_ her voice of reason chortled in the back of her mind.

. . . and that was probably the millionth time she had imagined yet another way to murder that _damned_ voice.

Her reverie was interrupted however, by a gentle tug at her sleeve. Yuuki's eyes turned to rest on her son, as she offered him a small, gentle smile. "Where exactly are we going today, mommy?" Akira questioned innocently, genuinely curious at their sudden escapade that early morning.

"You'll see soon enough, Akira. . ." she murmured in response, as they walked into the open clearing.

Whilst she was leaving the Association yesterday, Kaien had stopped her and asked whether or not Zero had told her the place of meeting. Embarrassed, she had admitted to leaving without asking him for it. He had chuckled at her response, and said that the area of training would most likely be somewhere clear, desolated and with not a soul in sight.

Yuuki couldn't help but smirk, as he was the same as she had always remembered. Only _he_ would choose a place located on the outskirts of town, away from all remnants of civilization. It was just in his nature, and she couldn't blame him for his choice of meeting at all. It was the ideal for their given situation, and he obviously had not chosen the place on a whim or without any semblance of thought.

She knew him better than that.

He was an over thinker through and through, and always deliberated everything three steps ahead of any given situation. Everything he did was with purpose. . . with logical reasoning. . . which was why she had been so devastated by his impulsive actions all those years before. What he did had not made sense to her in the slightest. . . what could he have possibly hoped to gain?

_No. . . I must stop dwelling on the past_ Yuuki thought to herself, shaking her head.

This was not the time nor the place to be thinking of such idle thoughts. Whatever significance it once had, it no longer possessed. They were just two strangers, working for a common goal. . . for the sake of _their_ son. Or at least, that was what she told herself.

Yuuki immediately spotted Zero at the centre of the open field, already setting up the targets for without a doubt, shooting practice. Akira however, had seen him even before she had, and she could feel his body shivering in anticipation and the utmost intrigue. His expression was one of bubbling happiness at seeing the familiar face of his "saviour".

She couldn't help but feel a swell of happiness inside of her. At the very least, Akira was happy. . . and for that, she would tolerate whatever Zero threw her way. She was not that young, naive little girl anymore. . . who was selfish in her desires, and who could not see the greater picture in front of her. She would do _anything_ for Akira, so long as he kept that beautiful smile on his face, and be granted the happiness that neither she nor Zero had the luxury of experiencing.

Yuuki felt Akira quicken his pace to reach Zero sooner, as she was dragged along helplessly by his whims. As soon as he reached speaking distance, Akira turned to her and said brightly "Look mommy! It's the silver knight I was talking about before!"

Yuuki immediately blushed at his outburst, quickly averting her eyes elsewhere. She would _not_ give him the satisfaction of knowing that they had in fact, talked about him and that Akira absolutely adored him. Not that it was any secret now, with the child blatantly staring at him with sparkling eyes glowing with adoration.

Yuuki turned at the sound of Zero's gentle chuckle, and found herself enthralled by the sight. The man she had met several days ago had been a walking corpse. . . a man who had long lost his way on the winding path of life. But the person standing before her now?

For that brief moment in time, he looked as though he had become truly _alive_. Although his dull eyes had seen the light for only a few moments, for Yuuki she saw it as a flicker of hope for the unforeseen future. As much of an emotionless avenger he portrayed himself out to be, he hadn't fully forsaken his humanity. . . _yet_.

And for that, Yuuki didn't know how much time she had left until he did.

She found herself involuntarily shuddering at the idea of him losing control, discarding all remnants of his humanity. . . and simply shook her head. It was his business, and his life to lead. It wasn't her place at all to help him, to think about him. . . heck, to even _worry_ about him.

Yuuki felt the sound of his footsteps grow closer, as he proceeded to ruffle Akira's hair gently in his hands. "Silver knight, hm?" he questioned the boy, entertaining his thoughts.

"Yes! Exactly like a silver knight! All that's missing is the princess for you to rescue and live happily ever after with," Akira replied, grinning at the feel of his fingers petting his hair.

Yuuki stiffened slightly at Akira's seemingly harmless words, and found herself questioning his motives for the first time in her life. _No. . . it couldn't be. He's just a child. . . he couldn't possibly be insinuating anything, right? But then again, he __is__ mine and Zero's child. . . I __really __shouldn't underestimate him like that._

She saw that Zero too, had been ever so slightly fazed by Akira's seemingly innocent comment, and was putting on a bold front of indifference. If she was a stranger, then she would have unwittingly assumed that he didn't care at all. But of course, Yuuki knew him better than that.

Better than anyone else ever could.

Yuuki saw his gaze soften as he looked at Akira, and he replied "Are you sure you aren't mistaken? I'm no silver knight. . . a dark knight would be far more plausible. And, just so you know. . . the dark knight _never_ gets the princess."

She stifled a gasp, as Zero locked gazes with her for a split second, before quickly looking away. It had only been the briefest moment of contact, but she was certain that she had not imagined it. How was it that even the most trivial of things that he did, could stir her emotions so easily?

She found herself becoming unnerved at how . . . full of _life_ Zero was, at least around Akira. He looked at him so gently . . . so _lovingly_. . . that it made it so much more difficult for her to despise him. His gestures towards the child were the most sincere, and she hadn't seen him so truthful towards anyone _ever_.

Not even to her.

When he looked at Akira, his beautiful amethyst orbs sparked with life. . . and were clear, without any hint of malice or shrouded with dark secrets. Dare she say it. . . but she found her resolve chipping away, ever so slightly. She had promised herself that she would keep all her emotions locked away, that she would never forgive Zero for what he had done. . . and yet, another part of her deeply wished to simply throw her cautions to the wind.

A part of her just wanted to forget it all, forget their past, their future, everything that had ever come between them and just throw her arms around him in an embrace. She wanted to be able to hold him, to ask him how he's been without her. . . to smile, and laugh like they once did, over absolutely nothing at all.

Akira smiled at Zero cheekily, as he toothily grinned "You may be a seemingly dark knight, but underneath all that darkness and shadow. . . lies a silver knight waiting to be polished, and for his chance to shine."

Zero seemed rather surprised at his answer, as he paused in petting Akira's head for the briefest moment, and then continued as though nothing at all had happened. "Never so easily assume about a person's character. In doing so, you are setting yourself up to pay a deadly price."

Akira cocked his head in confusion, as the heavy weight of his words began to sink in. Yuuki took it as her cue to leave, as she turned on her heel and said quietly "I'll be watching you practice on the sidelines".

Her thoughts that morning had troubled her deeply, and she wasn't entirely sure she could stop herself from treading into forbidden territory if she continued to listen to their conversation any longer. For as long as Yuuki remembered, Akira had the uncanny ability to see into people's hearts. He saw things within people that more often than not, they themselves, could not seem to find.

And for him to warm up to Zero almost instantly, and shower him with nothing but the greatest praise. . . she found herself questioning his motives. What could have possibly been his goal, his true purpose for committing that oh so sinful deed?

Just what merit could it have brought him?

* * *

Zero lowered himself to eye level with Akira, as he placed his two hands gently on his tiny shoulders. He looked him in the eye in all seriousness, letting him know through his irises alone the gravity of what he was about to say. Akira seemed to realise the sudden change in atmosphere, as his gaze met his unwaveringly.

_I feel like I'm looking at myself all over again_. . . Zero thought to himself, before shaking the thought from his head.

"This," Zero paused, as he gestured towards the mat behind him loaded with at least ten different guns and the finest weaponry. "Is your greatest weapon in the field of vampire hunting."

"Obviously these are not proper vampire hunting tools, but are merely your props for practice. You have seen a real vampire with your very own eyes, and seen the potential of their abilities, have you not?"

Akira nodded in response, his eyes flickering ever so slightly as though recalling a terrible nightmare. However, he did not flinch nor hesitate in his gaze — and for that, Zero would respect his courage. It was his son, after all.

"They are gruesome, dangerous creatures who are no longer human. Never, _ever_ under any circumstance are you to underestimate your opponent, and it's abilities. They are cunning, and they are sly — they will stoop to any level in order to survive. Once you are cornered, you're as good as dead. The moment you turn your back on one, would be the last fatal error you will ever commit in this life."

"Do _not_ hesitate to do whatever it takes to get you out of the situation. Never try to calmly reason with them, because the moment blood is shed — they are long gone. They are _beasts_ from the ashes of the earth, and should never have even existed in this world. They rely on instinct alone, and are machines perfected for the sole art of destruction. As much as I hate to say this, it's either you or them. It's either you kill in cold blood, or be the one killed. They are faster than the eye could ever see, and have abilities which surpass any mere mortal. In order to survive. . . to _live_. . . you must learn to protect yourself, and those important to you."

"Are you ready for this, Akira?" Zero asked, waiting for his response.

He would give the child a choice, the choice which he had never been given. He would not begrudge the child for refusing the life of carnage. After all, any sane person would choose to do so. However, Akira appeared to be seemingly unfazed by his daring speech, and after a long moment of silence — he nodded his consent.

"I am ready to do what it takes" Akira replied, meeting his electrifying gaze with his very own.

_Such fearsome eyes that will one day strike fear into the hearts of all_. . . Zero thought to himself.

He stole a glance in Yuuki's direction, and saw that her features had indefinitely hardened at his speech. He couldn't help but cast her a wry, mocking smirk in return, before turning back to Akira.

"I'm going to say this once, and once only. Do not be afraid, to be afraid. If you confine that fear within yourself, it will eventually manifest into weakness. To be a real man, is to stand up to that fear. . . in order to protect what is most important and precious to you."

"Never forget that. For fear is unwittingly an ally in your most difficult moments. . . and can propel you to do things you've never done before."

Akira stared at him in the utmost awe and admiration, as he couldn't help but smirk. Being on the receiving end of his son's admiration really wasn't that bad of a feeling at all. He then pushed himself onto his feet, as he moved over towards the mat of weapons — his eyes quickly sweeping over the arsenal available for perusal at his fingertips.

He chose the pistol, and showed it to Akira — before pulling out his bloody rose from its holster. "This," he shifted his hand with the regular pistol, before throwing it lightly into the air. It spun a few times, before landing flawlessly back into the palm of its hand. It was as though the weapon had been created and molded perfectly for his use alone, and was as obedient as a dog following its master without question.

". . . is your regular pistol. We will be using this pistol for training. This is the kind of weapon that won't kill a vampire, however it will be enough to incapacitate it regardless. When you are of age, you will receive your own specific vampire hunter weapon of your choice at the initiation ceremony. The weapon itself _chooses_ its master, and if you are deemed unworthy — then it simply means that you have not learned to wield the weapon as a sixth sense."

"A weapon that deems it's master unworthy of its powers, will not listen at all to your commands. To be a true vampire hunter, is more than just physical training, more than just learning to wield a weapon. It's being able to push your body far beyond its capable limits, to know that every breath you take can be your last, and to have the utmost faith in your instincts — even in the most difficult of situations."

"This, on the other hand. . . " Zero paused, as he reenacted the same throwing motion with the hand that held his bloody rose. "Is a _real_ vampire hunter weapon. Once you have received yours, never, _ever_ let it out of your sight. It is your greatest weapon, and leverage over a vampire. Without it, I cannot guarantee your survival, considering their superhuman abilities."

"But why did you choose a pistol of all weapons? I know that mommy uses a scythe. . ." Akira questioned, curiosity glistening in his amethyst orbs.

Zero smirked in response, before replying "Because pistols are the most ideal weapons. Whether long range, or short range — all it takes is one shot to end a vampire's life. But if you miss, then that is pretty much the end for you. A scythe on the other hand, whilst it does have the edge strength wise — it is much more difficult to wield, not to mention hazardous. In order to defeat your opponent, you must gain the upper hand and be within close range to strike. Getting close to a vampire can very well mean your doom, Akira."

". . . Besides, you're much too small to wield a scythe. You'll probably topple over from its weight, before you even hit anything, " Zero added as an afterthought, as Akira immediately puffed up his cheeks in indignation.

"I am not a _little_ kid! I'm a big boy! I'm going to protect mommy, and someday I'll marry her!"

Zero quirked an eyebrow, as he couldn't help the light chuckle that escaped his lips. _Ah, the innocence of youth. . . I also remembered saying the exact same thing when I was his age._

"Oh? Well, I'll show you how a _real_ man handles a pistol," Zero replied, as he placed his bloody rose back into its holster.

He twirled the pistol in his other hand, before holding it in a firm, assured grip. He positioned himself into a shooting stance, one eye closing in concentration. . . imagining exactly where the bullets would land.

Five bullets. Five shots.

Akira had closed his eyes and covered his ears at the sound of the gun, as he heard birds squawking in their nests within the surrounding trees. Some had become frightened enough to fly out of their homes, and escape.

As he slowly opened his eyes, they immediately widened in dawning recognition. The five bullets had gone off in such quick succession, that he hadn't even realised that only a few seconds had passed. All it took him was five reloads, to hit all the designated targets. Not to mention the fact that they were all _exactly_ in the same place.

The targets Zero had chosen were in the outline of a person, and Akira realised that he had chosen to shoot all of them in the left ventricle of their chest cavity. There was no indication on any of the targets where the heart, or internal organs were located — but Akira knew from his photographic memory of reading books on the human anatomy that he was right on target.

Akira slowly realised in awe that none of those bullets would have crushed rib or bone. No, the places he had chosen were the blind spots of the heart. The spaces _in between_ the ribs. The places where the heart was completely vulnerable, and would be wholly unprotected to his onslaught.

_How many vampires must he have killed, to possess such blinding accuracy? _thought Akira to himself, rendered speechless at his immense skill.

"When given the chance, always aim for the heart. It will ensure a swift death, without any casualties. Their bodies would have dissolved long before they even reach you. If you are unable to do so, then the head is the second best place. It will stun them long enough for you to either decapitate them, or properly aim for their heart."

"Once you've shot the first bullet, the next few must be done in quick succession. The first shot immediately gives away your position, so make it count."

Zero reloaded the pistol, as he motioned for Akira to take it from him. "Are you ready to step up to the plate?"

Akira flashed him a confident smirk in return, as he took the weapon from his outstretched hand. On the inside however, his nerves were in completely disarray. Not from the weight of the weapon itself, but from the daunting concept that this seemingly harmless tool — could easily take away a life in a split second. Although Akira was well aware that vampires were no longer human. . . and were beasts risen from the ashes of the earth. . . they were human _once_.

They must have had a family. . . a mother, just like he did. They would have had things they cherished, things they were unable to do, dreams they were no longer able to fulfill. They would have had someone they loved in the world, more than they loved their very selves.

Akira gulped, as he slowly adjusted the pistol in his shaky hand and imitated perfectly Zero's shooting stance from before. He closed one eye in concentration, as he began to take aim. He stopped however, when he felt an unfamiliar, yet gentle hand enveloping over his own.

Akira felt Zero's comforting presence behind him, as he slowly adjusted his grip on the weapon. "You're far too stiff when holding the pistol. Such rigidness won't allow you to complete your tasks quickly and efficiently — not to mention the fact that it _will_ hinder your aim. _Relax_. . . take a deep breath. I know that the idea behind what you're about to do is gruesome. . . but that is the kind of world which we live in. It's either you, or them. Think of the people you wish to protect in this life, because if you ever hesitate. . . you may very well never see them again. . . Akira."

It was as though he had washed away all his worries, and concerns in the blink of an eye. Zero possessed the uncanny ability to know _exactly_ what he was thinking, and was able to soothe his anxiety like no other. _Perhaps, is it because he __has__ experienced this before. . . ? Or is he merely skilled at reading people? _thought Akira to himself.

The way Zero had uttered his name so quietly, and so _lovingly_. . . he found himself being reminded of the way his mother would always call him into her arms, every night.

_Mother . . . _Akira thought, as he closed his eyes and envisioned her vividly within his mind.

Drenched in blood that was not her own. Screaming at him to run and escape whilst he had the chance. Slaughtering countless people. . . whether human or vampire, all for the sake of his safety. Her, on those nights when she would cry herself to sleep, thinking that he was sound asleep in the comforts of his own bed.

Her smile, when she woke him up every morning and promised him his favourite breakfast as though their lives were as ordinary as ordinary could be. Her laugh, when he had done something particularly clumsy. Her hands, when she would pet his head and assure him so confidently that they would be okay. Her eyes, that would silently tell him she loved him each and every day.

_I want to . . . _**_protect_**_ her. . . _Akira thought, as he opened his eyes once more.

He felt the shaking in his hands subside, as he slowly took a deep breath. He heard Zero whisper gently "For today, I think you should try aiming the five bullets at one target. There's no need to rush."

Akira glanced at his amethyst orbs, so filled with faith and trust in his abilities. He then turned to his mother, who was watching him intently on the sidelines — eyes filled with worry. For _her_. . . he could do this. No. . . he _had_ to do this.

He took aim once again, his stance far more firm and filled with confidence in himself. His hand no longer shook, but instead had expertly clenched around the trigger as though it was his second nature all along.

Akira felt the audible click before he heard the earsplitting cracks resound throughout the clearing.

One. . . Two. . . Three. . . Four. . . _Five_.

He slowly opened his eyes, as he quickly felt the sinking sensation of disappointment. His shots were nowhere near as succinct, crisp and on-target as Zero's. . . in fact, they looked rather disoriented and in complete disarray. It was quite obvious that the wielder of the weapon was inexperienced, and didn't know _what_ exactly they were aiming for. One in the leg. . . one in the arm. . . two in the chest region. . . and to his delightful realisation, one in the head. . . right between the eyes.

He quickly turned towards Zero, slowly gauging his reaction. After a few moments, his amethyst orbs flickered towards his, and his lips curved into a wry smirk.

"You're. . . not half bad, kiddo."

Akira's eyes widened in shock. _Surely this would be deemed unsatisfactory in comparison to his standards? I was so convinced __that __he would scold me for my incompetency. . . _Akira thought.

"You're probably thinking, how my skills pale in comparison to the 'silver knight', hm? And how I would have certainly scolded you for your terrible and non-existent aim."

Akira spluttered in surprise, as Zero's smirk only widened in response. He seemed strangely amused at his confusion, as he came to the conclusion that his new found 'teacher' was without a doubt, a _sadist _through and through.

Akira regained his composure, as he nodded vigorously. "My shooting can't even _begin_ to be compared to yours!"

Zero let out a light chuckle, as he gently ruffled his hair. "Even prodigies cannot accomplish such feats in a day. It's humanely impossible, to trump the skills of a person who's been slaughtering vampires for as long as they can remember. Don't compare your abilities to others, but rather view it as the opportunity to _improve_. Only then, will you succeed."

"Your aim was _terrible_. It was without a doubt, the accomplishment of a rookie who has never before held a gun in the palm of his hand. Aim for the _vital areas_ at all costs. A mere bullet wound to the arm or leg will not hinder a Level E vampire in the slightest. In fact, it will only stir their thirst and hunger for vengeance."

Akira felt as though his 'silver knight' had trampled over his spirits and discarded it without a second thought. His shoulders visibly slumped, as his jaw jutted out in a slight pout. He looked up at Zero, and murmured quietly ". . . are you disappointed in me. . . ?"

Seeing how utterly crestfallen and devastated the child was, Zero let out a quiet sigh as he ran a hand through his silver locks. His gaze seemed far away, as he said quietly "Your grip definitely needs work, and you clearly need to hone your concentration in order to improve your aim. But. . . not many vampire hunter apprentices could even hit a _target_ on their first day. And that alone, is quite a feat in itself. I admit I too struggled with the task. . . but in saying that, I was only _three_ at the time."

Akira however, was _radiating_ the utmost happiness and warmth from his tiny frame. "Really?!" he exclaimed, grinning toothily up at Zero.

Zero allowed himself a small smile, as he replied "But this is only the beginning. Training will get far more difficult as we move forward, and it'll require not only physical strength — but your mental will power as well, to overcome seemingly impossible obstacles. Don't let your guard down, and celebrate so soon. I look forward to seeing your progress."

Akira didn't even seem to _digest_ one word that came out of Zero's mouth, as he leaped up and down in happiness. When it came to this child, Zero just couldn't help the overwhelming tidal wave of joy that washed over his senses.

He found it difficult _not_ to smile — something which was highly uncharacteristic of him, if not nearly _impossible_ to see. If any of his subordinates from the Association saw him now, they would have wholeheartedly believed that it was merely a figment of their imagination, or he had simply gone mad.

Zero Kiriyu _never_ smiled.

It was one of the many unquestionable facts of life, just like how the sky was blue, and why the grass was green.

_Is this what they call. . . pride as a father?_ Zero thought to himself.

Before he could say anything else however, Akira had picked up the pistol once again and continued practicing without him.

Zero couldn't help but shake his head, as he smiled softly to himself.

_At the very least, he's not a quitter. He knows how to get back on his feet, even in the face of seemingly impossible situations. Akira. . . I didn't tell you this but. . . perhaps someday. . . you'll become a better man than I ever will be._

* * *

As Yuuki watched the scene unfold before her, she couldn't help but feel the gentle stirring of her heartstrings. Even a mere stranger would have been able to sense the radiating waves of happiness and affection emanating from the pair in front of her. There was no mistaking it as anything else.

Zero and Akira portrayed the perfect image of a loving father, spending quality time with his beloved son.

When Zero had smiled, she honestly couldn't believe her eyes and had blamed it entirely on her terribly misconstrued imagination. The second time round however, she really couldn't deny it any longer. Her heartbeat had raced at the sight, drumming almost painfully against her sensitive ears. It was an expression on him that was so incredibly rare when they were younger, and even rarer now.

Yuuki still remembered oh so vividly that he only ever _occasionally_ showed that face of his to her when they were younger. Most of the time however, it was at the cost of her morbid shame at committing something so utterly clumsy or idiotic.

And yet around Akira, it seemed as though he really couldn't help himself. It was as though around that particular child, his body had been programmed specifically to only show that expression. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks as he seemed to be chuckling over something Akira had said, before ruffling his hair.

Yuuki immediately brought both hands to her cheeks, slapping them none too gently and closing her eyes. _I—Idiot! You're a grown woman, and yet why are you getting flustered over something so trivial?_

_In my defence, Zero never smiles and such an occasion is truly worth fawning over,_ her inner voice interjected rudely, before it was immediately pushed away into the depths of her mind.

She did _not_ want to hear from it at all today, but that was sincerely wishful thinking on her part.

Yuuki's reverie was shattered by the sound of crunching grass, as she noticed the two figures walking over towards her. She realised that in her daze, their training had obviously come to an end for the day. As their eyes locked gazes with one another, Zero's heartwarming smile quickly faded as though it was never even there in the first place.

Instead, it was replaced with his trademark scowl and Yuuki found herself feeling the slightest twinge of discomfort. It only served as a painful reminder of what they once had, and had long lost after all. Akira bounded over to her excitedly, his cheeks flushed and eyes aglow like twinkling stars.

"Did you see me mommy?!"

Yuuki smiled sadly, as she embraced him. "Of course I did. . ."

"I'm going to learn how to wield the pistol even better than the silver knight, and protect you! I promise on my life!" Akira said firmly, eyes ablaze with emotion.

She chuckled, as she softly pressed the palm of her hand to his cheek, gently caressing it. It was moments like these that reminded her as to _why_ she was here on this earth, and despite her long life of suffering — it was all so entirely worth it, if it was for _him_.

He was her motivation through the bad days, her last remaining hope in humanity and her eternal happiness.

She felt her eyes fluttering close as she basked in the moment, before opening them once again to meet seas of amethyst. _Despite all that he has done. . . he did give me the greatest possible treasure in this life, after all. _

Yuuki stroked Akira's hair gently, before finally letting him go. She stood to her full height once more, as she began to reach for Akira's hand to take him home. To her surprise however, his eyes were lowered towards the ground and he seemed strangely unsettled. Something which was highly uncharacteristic of him to do so.

"Is something bothering you, Akira?" Yuuki questioned, rather confused.

He shook his head, as she crouched down once again and placed her palm against his forehead. "You're not coming down with a fever, are you?"

Concern flickered within her ruby orbs, as he once again shook his head. "You promised to always tell me if something worries you," she coaxed gently.

It was with this, that he finally turned to gaze directly into her eyes as he took a deep breath and muttered "E-even if it's not something you want to hear?"

"What?" Yuuki asked, her brow furrowing further in confusion.

Akira stopped fidgeting, and it seemed as though he had finally come to terms with something within himself. He glanced at Zero, before returning his gaze to her and said loudly "Can we invite the silver knight over for dinner?!"

The clearing had never seemed as quiet as it did within those few, brief moments.

The tension was clearly palpable between Yuuki and Zero as they chose to glance at anywhere else but each other. Zero finally broke the silence, as he coughed none too subtly. "I don't think that's such a good idea. Besides, I have other . . . _places_ to be."

For the life of Yuuki, she had never _ever_ been so glad for Zero's anti-social tendencies to avoid social gatherings like the plague. "T-that's right Akira! I'm pretty sure that your teacher is quite busy, and we really shouldn't intrude on his personal business."

The expression Akira was wearing now could easily rival a puppy that had just been kicked by its beloved master. "R-really. . . ?" he said quietly, as his eyes flickered over to Zero.

"Yes, really! We should head home now, before it gets dark" Yuuki emphasised, whilst counting her lucky stars that today would be her day.

Akira seemed to deliberate her none too subtle suggestion for several moments, before turning towards her — lower lip jutting out oh so _innocently_, as his eyes gleamed with unshed tears. "B-but knowing him he really _doesn't_ have any plans, and will probably go to bed with cold dinner. Please, please, _please_ could he stay for dinner?"

_You cheeky little _**_brat_**_. __You're entirely well aware __how weak __I am__ to that face, and __yet__, you still exploit it __so__ mercilessly. I know exactly what you're doing! _Yuuki thought to herself, the muscles on her face straining painfully to form a scowl.

She couldn't bring herself to show her true disapproval of Akira's good intentions, as it would surely hurt his feelings beyond all else. But at the same time, she would _not_ openly let Zero know that he had won this one.

Yuuki sighed, as she then turned to the side and said quietly, "Would you like to stay for dinner. . . Zero?"

"What? I didn't quite hear that" Zero replied nonchalantly, feigning complete indifference to her offer.

Yuuki immediately whirled around at his comment, killing intent radiating off her body in waves. _That. . . that bastard! He totally heard me, and has the utmost gall to pretend that he didn't? The nerve of him. . . _

She slowly stood up, and finally turned towards him. Their eyes met, and she could have sworn she saw something flicker within those twin pools of amethyst. Something that she couldn't quite put her finger on to decipher.

"W-would you like to stay for dinner. . . Zero?"

A brief moment of shock passed through his eyes, surprised at hearing his name again after all those years. Yuuki admitted that she had always loved the way his name rolled off her tongue, and hearing it within the silent clearing seemed to increase the magnitude of her voice by twofold. She didn't know what came over her to finally refer to him by name, but she knew that at the very least for Akira's sake — she would remain civil and well mannered.

He was after all, going to perhaps. . . be their guest for tonight.

The fleeting look of momentary surprise disappeared from his eyes, and Yuuki began to wonder if it was ever even there in the first place. After a few tense moments, a rather smug smirk flickered across his features as he replied, "Thank you for your gracious invitation. . . _Yuuki."_

Yuuki sincerely wished that she could just waltz right up to him and wipe the cocky smirk off his face. His voice had been oozing with sarcasm at her defeat by the hands of a _five_ year old. Before she could formulate a snarky reply however, Akira had already bounded over towards Zero's side with the utmost glee at his triumph.

She sighed, as she too albeit reluctantly walked over to the pair. _How nice would it be to be young again. . . and to be blissfully unaware of the conflicts between adults_. . . Yuuki thought to herself, finding it rather amusing that he was seemingly oblivious to the terrible vibes between her and Zero.

In front of her, Akira glanced curiously at Zero before beaming. "What are you so happy about? Didn't I tell you that when you smile like that, you look stupid?" He said dully, whilst raising an eyebrow.

Akira pouted, but the amusement was still clear in his vibrant, amethyst orbs. Even his teacher's strangely sour mood would not be able to even come _close_ to tarnishing his spirits today. "So, your name is _Zero_, hm?" he questioned inquisitively, as he flashed a toothy grin.

"Yes, what of it?"

"Nothing. Just making sure of something, that's all" Akira replied, humming vaguely to himself.

_Zero, eh? It really does suit you, just as I expected. The meaning of Zero after all, means both everything and nothing. It's infinite and endless, yet mysteriously bound and finite. The perfect contradiction, and truly a walking paradox to be deciphered. _

_It's the representation of a limitless void, a being of no existence. Yet at the same time, it could insinuate the balance between good and evil, and the return of karma with its seemingly everlasting cycle. _

_It's also the depiction of absolute zero, which completely ties in with your cold, frosty personality. As a number, it is unable to be multiplied with others and is truly an oddity of its own kind. _

_But, the most significant meaning of Zero? _

_The joining of two lovers, forever and always, to have and to hold, until the end of eternity._

* * *

Author's Note: Just letting you guys know that the "meaning of Zero" is in no way related to canon, and is merely my own wild imaginations as to what his name could mean. "Absolute Zero" is also the lowest possible temperature in existence.

Thank you for all the wonderful feedback last chapter. You guys were a lot more excited for the whole "teacher/student" installment than I initially expected ^_^ I know one reviewer in particular said that he or she actually wanted Kaien to begin training straight away, in order to continue reading the story (which I thought was quite funny and LOL'd).

I've noticed recently that my chapter lengths are starting to grow longer (as more things are happening in each chapter) and I would like to know if you guys prefer longer chapters, and less installments, or shorter chapters and more installments e.g. 15-20 long chapters, or 25-30 shorter chapters.

I personally prefer longer chapters, since I want to finish this story asap haha. But, just wondering what you guys think of it.

As always, reviews will always be appreciated :)

**— My Endless Love**


	8. The Missing Piece

**Heaven's Mirror**

_A Work of Fiction by My Endless Love_

* * *

Full Summary: Zero Kiriyu is the infamous leader of the Hunter Association, and is regarded as one of the most powerful figures balancing the strife between humans and vampires. However, he is haunted by the images of the woman he once loved, and the event that changed their lives forever.

Ever since her disappearance from his life five years ago, he has come to the conclusion that he no longer has the capacity to love. On a mission however, he stumbles across a boy with the mirror image of his face. Just what is going on?

* * *

**Chapter 8: The Missing Piece**

Zero watched as Yuuki slowly unlocked the door to her home, as his eyes strayed towards her delicate, porcelain-like hands. He raised an eyebrow as he noticed the slight shaking of her fingers, her rather rigid form and the tight lining of her lips. Maybe she wasn't so seemingly adverse to the situation as he had originally contemplated.

_Well well, looks like the Goddess of Ice isn't as invincible as she seems, hm? _His voice of reason cackled, as he merely shook his head.

Zero had long learned to dismiss its unwanted commentary throughout his daily life, although its taunting was reaching almost unbearable limits with the return of Yuuki. Perhaps wishing for a peaceful life was too much to hope for, after all. _No. . . it's practically __**impossible**_. . .Zero corrected as an afterthought.

Such was the profession of a vampire hunter, and the terrible price that came along with it. Even simple luxuries such as coming home to a quiet dinner, or spending time with loved ones was simply out of the question. Forming connections, or attachments in the first place was completely and utterly frowned upon. They could after all, become a deadly liability out on the field.

It was the number one rule that must never be broken amongst elite vampire hunters such as himself.

_Emotions render you weak. . . it clouds your decisions during your most imperative moments. . . and completely disregards everything I've ever been taught_.

He had outright laughed at the pitiful fools who allowed themselves to be enamored by young love, and who were slaughtered out on the field because of their lethal mistakes. He had stated to his remaining subordinates then and there that it was merely a cruel reality check for them all. But now. . . he wasn't so sure anymore.

Being around Yuuki always had some kind of strange effect on him, as she shamelessly played with his emotions as though they were nothing at all, and made him contemplate things that he'd never ever considered. Such a thing as a peaceful life did not exist for people. . . no, _creatures_ like him.

A beast did not deserve such 'privileges', if one could even call it that. Zero felt a slight, dull burning within the back of his throat, as he gritted his teeth. It was coming back. . . the thirst. . .. the unbearable craving. . . the _bloodlust_. It was yet another reason that only rectified his loathsome existence. He resisted the urge to raise his hand to his throat, as that would only be a dead giveaway to his suffering.

"Aren't you coming in, Zero?"

Yuuki's voice pierced his thoughts like the splashing of cold water, as he turned his gaze towards her. Her ruby red orbs were rimming with impatience at his sluggish pace. . . but beneath it all, for just the briefest moment . . . he had thought he saw the slightest bit of concern glistening within her eyes. He saw her gaze waver, as it lowered towards his neck, suspicion written all over her features like an open book. Zero on cue, disguised his earlier misstep with a cough, as he sauntered past her without a second glance and entered the living room.

Now was _not_ the time for him to lose control, especially in front of her.

He would not allow himself to show such weakness.

_But why does it matter what she thinks of you? I didn't think you __**cared**__ for such things, Zero. _

He ignored that spiteful voice, as he found himself appraising his surroundings. Yuuki's home was surprisingly. . . _empty_. Cardboard boxes were littered across the room haphazardly, as though the owner had merely dumped them without a second thought. Zero cursed his own stupidity for assuming thatit would be seemingly well occupied and lived in.

She had just moved into the home. . . and who knows how long she would be staying for, after all? He found himself discomforted by the fact that he could no longer read her like he used to. Her thoughts, her feelings and her decisions were a complete enigma to him, and an undecipherable one at that.

It was a strange feeling. . . to no longer know the person you once knew like the back of your hand. It was a formidable concept that Zero found himself struggling to accept. She was now well and truly a stranger, and a corpse of theperson he once knew. . . and admittedly, loved.

The sound of a yawn echoed throughout the room, as Zero's eyes wandered towards Akira, who was standing by his side. He felt slightly guilty for completely forgetting the child's existence, as he had been so enraptured in the tidal wave of his thoughts. Akira's eyes were rather red and watery — no doubt the telltale signs of exhaustion from his training only a few hours ago.

He heard the faint click of a closing door, before hearing Yuuki's footsteps draw near. "Why don't you take a nap before dinner? You're in no doubt exhausted from training, Akira" Yuuki said gently.

Akira didn't protest, as he quietly padded off in the direction of his room. His yawn was an imminent sign of his undeniable fatigue, and he honestly could not keep his eyes open for much longer.

Zero found himself chuckling at the complete polarity of his son's personality. Only moments ago he had been babbling nonstop to him about his utmost certainty in the existence of the tooth fairy, and yet now he could barely even stand.

A heavy silence filled the room with Akira's departure, and after a long moment — he felt, rather than heard Yuuki's footsteps against the smooth, wooden flooring as she walked past him without another word. He surmised that it was her indication for him to follow, and he found it rather ironic that he had done the very same to her only moments before.

After several short steps they arrived in the kitchen area, and a dining table firmly stood near the counter. The kitchen was made of sleek, dark marble and the tiled flooring was pure white underneath the lights that Yuuki had just switched on. She turned towards him then, indicating with a slight nod of her head for him to take a seat.

"There will be no need for you assist me in cooking today — no complaints. You are my guest, and as a courteous host, it would be simply unforgiveable if you were to help me."

The command in her voice was unquestionable, and with a sigh he reluctantly did as he was told. It was a trivial matter after all, and he would rather not waste his time and effort in arguing with her. She was justas stubborn as he remembered, and if he wanted to make his departure as soon as possible — he may very well concede to her wishes.

He found his eyes automatically straying towards her graceful form, following her every movement as she wholeheartedly concentrated on the task at hand. Zero felt rather surprised, as the earlier hostility that radiated from her form was slowly ebbing away with each passing minute. She looked almost _serene_ in her own home, and hefound himself feeling sadly nostalgic.

After all, he sincerely doubted that he could once again be the beacon which never failed to soothe her worries and concerns. More than likely now, he would instead be the cause of her anger and frustration. Her every gesture was filled with certainty and grace, and it was the very same approach she used when facing each and every one of life's obstacles. Zero found himself holding his breath as he watched her — completely mesmerised by the sight alone.

She had truly become incredibly beautiful during the time they had spent apart.

She was no longer the little girl he remembered in his memories, but a _woman_. A woman who was self-assured of her own abilities, who knew what she desired and would not hesitate for even a second to claim what she wanted. As Yuuki began to quietly hum to herself, as the faint comforting scent of a home-cooked meal began to waft around the room.

She portrayed the immaculateimage of the ideal wife — the one present only within a man's wildest dreams. Any man would wish to return home as quickly as they possibly could. . . if the sight of her like this, was waiting patiently for them.

"Why are you staring at me, Zero?"

Her voice had completely shattered his reverie, as he immediately tensed — wondering if he had offended her in some way with his blatant watching. To his surprise, her lips were quirked up in a faint smirk — seemingly amused by the fact that she had utterly mesmerised him only a few moments before.

He also heard the beckon of challenge in her words, daring him to formulate a witty answer in response to her question. Zero felt a small, wry smirk spread across his features at the revelation that she was still just as _childish_ as he remembered.

"I was just surprised at how 'home-economically friendly' you've become, considering the fact that you have been a hazard through and through in the kitchen for as long as I've remembered. Even _Kaien_ feared for the safety of his home being consumed by volatile flames whenever you suggested cooking dinner."

Zero could almost see her _bristling_ beneath his snide remarks, and he found himself unable to help his petty teasing. He admittedly, had terribly missed the dynamic between the two of them and with her return — the large gaping void in his life had never before felt so full and complete.

"Remember how you made those _terrible_ Valentines' Day chocolates for me back then, and pretty much forced me to eat them?"

Yuuki immediately blushed at the comment, as she remembered the particularly 'fond' memory all too well. She had stayed up all night long in a valiant attempt to create a box of homemade chocolates, and had only managed to produce _one_ that didn't look as though it had been run over, or successfully mauled to death by a pack of hungry wolves.

"As _horrible_ as you claimed it to be, who was the person who ended up eating it without a second thought?" Yuuki retorted indignantly, refusing to allow her pride to be wounded any further.

"Besides, you should feel incredibly honoured that you received one of my _own _one of a kind chocolates. Even _Kaname_didn't have the luxury of tasting it. . ."

Yuuki trailed off, as she found herself feeling stricken with grief at the mention of the very man that fuelled the irreparable rift between her and Zero.

_That's right. . . I had originally made the chocolates for him, but I couldn't bear the shame and embarrassment of unveiling my non-existent skills in the kitchen. And even then, Zero helped me give my purchased chocolates to him without question. I gave Zero the homemade one instead as a sign of my gratitude, because I knew he would eat it without hesitation. He ate it all, even though I knew within my heart that they were terrible. . . _

Yuuki felt the undeniable waves of guilt wash over her for forgetting the reason as to why she was here in the first place, and for completely losing herself around Zero. Here she was, bantering with him without a care in the world and forgetting _everything_ she had harboured these past few years. How could she have allowed herself to forget about Kaname so easily?

How could her heart have even considered the idea of almost effortlessly forgiving him for that irreversible deed? How could she be so selfish as to still possess that small flicker of hope, of returning to what they once shared together?

Her lingering feelings for Zero had betrayed her in more ways than one.

* * *

Zero watched as Yuuki's frame went from grieving. . . to mourning. . . to self-loathing. . . and finally, unbearable sadness. He found himself utterly _torn_ as to how he should approach the situation. His mind hadstated firmly to simply leave her be in her own thoughts, for she was no longer his responsibility nor problem. But his heart on the other hand, yearned to comfort her. . . to take her in his arms. . . to reassure her that she could tell him anything, and that he was certain in the end — everything would be _okay_.

His mouth felt as though it had been glued together by an unknown force, as he was unable to even _whisper_ the one word that described his every wakingthought regarding Yuuki.

**Why?**

Why won't you tell me the truth?

Why are you protecting this secret as though your entire life depended on it?

Why are you letting yourself suffer like this, over something that's obviously not worth it?

Why are your eyes so sad. . . when all I ever wanted for you to be was happy?

Why. . . why. . . _why_. . .

Zero sighed in resignation, as his head lowered and conceded defeat. If Yuuki had wanted to tell him, then she would have done so already. He had to respect that these were her thoughts, and these thoughts were meant for her ears alone. He had no right whatsoever in demanding answers from her — answers which she in no doubt, was not ready to give.

As much as he wished to intervene, he respected her more than that. Despite everything that had occurred between them, lingering feelings and such precious sentiments were not erased so easily. She had been his greatest pillar of support, his most _important_ person. . . and the one that had kept his sanity alive for so long.

He'd be damned to the depths of hell if his actions ever forced her into a corner, and left her no choice but to flee from his life once again.

He had lost her once. . . and he didn't think he could do it again.

In his immersion of thoughts however, he had realised something that had gone unnoticed by him until now. Whenever the mention of Kaname came into play — her barriers would come crashing down without a second thought, and she would become immediately hostile and on edge. Danger signs and beacons were littered all over the place around her whenever it came to _him_.

Zero bit down on his lower lip, as the thought that crossed his mind struck _true_ fear into the depths of his heart.

A feeling that he was certain Yuuki had taken with her when she disappeared from his life.

_She couldn't have possibly known about what had transpired between me and Kaname all those years before. . ._

* * *

If someone had told Yuuki that she would be sharing an 'ordinary' dinner with Zero in the comforts of her own home, she would have outright laughed in their faces at the complete _ridiculousness_ of such a scenario.

Even in the incredibly rare likelihood that it would happen, the outcome would be nothing short of disastrous.

Zero after all, wasn't renowned for his mortifyingly non-existent social skills without reason. Just by walking into a room, his menacing aura would be enough to not only turn a few heads, but for some others to immediately leave in fear of their own safety.

To Yuuki's utmost surprise, although the dinner they shared together with Akira was undoubtedly awkward — as time wore on, it had eventually led to many laughs around the table. Even Yuuki herself, couldn't help but let slip a giggle here and there.

Yuuki could have even labeled the dinner as 'pleasant' — which would be the social norm, if _Zero_ of all people hadn't been attending. 'Zero' and the term'pleasant' should never _ever_ be used in the same sentence. _Especially _when referring to a social gathering, or anything regarding social interaction at any given time.

She couldn't quite understand how things had managed to unfold the way they had, but she knew for certain that something had irreversibly shifted between them within that hour alone. Although the dinners between her and Akira had always possessed some semblance of comfort, it never did feel remotely full or complete.

Something had always been missing between them — whether it be due to the occasional period of heavy silence, or the lonesome clinking of their forks against the dishes when nothing more could be said. It was as though something had always been missing between them, and the gaping void could never truly be filled by either them.

And yet. . . that missing piece had been filled today, by none other than Zero himself.

Yuuki immediately bit her lip at the unwanted revelation, as she gave the pair sitting across from her a sidelong glance. They were deeply engrossed in conversation despite her lack of contribution, and regardless of Akira's apparent disapproval at whatever they were conversing about — the aura emanating from him was nothing short of _radiant_.

She had never seen Akira so incredibly happy, until Zero (albeit unwillingly) entered his life. Just watching his eyes light up at listening to Zero's voice, clinging onto every word the man uttered. . . it broke Yuuki's heart in more ways than one. His amethyst orbs at that very moment could have easily put a field of lilacs at twilight to shame in its utter brilliance.

With Akira's inevitable training in the way of vampire hunters, Yuuki honestly didn't know how long they would be forced to remain in the wretched city which she grew up in. And when they would finally depart. . . just how would Akira react? Would he willingly return to the life they had always known, or would he be unable to bear the sudden change?

The world of vampires was cruel, ruthless and unforgiving. . . and Akira was following in his father's footsteps more and more each and every day. Yuuki didn't want her only son. . . the only remaining fragment of hope in her life. . . to fall down the path of an emotionless avenger. . . just like his father.

She had been unable to save Zero from his inner demons. . . and now, she would do everything within her power to prevent the nightmares of the past from occurring once again. She had failed to see eye to eye with Kaien's questionable ideals, and through his interference it felt as though everything she had worked for these past few years were becoming undone.

Yuuki at that very moment, wanted so desperately for the ground to swallow her up whole. For her to escape the imminent questions, the looming unquestionable future. . . but above all, _him_.

The underlying source of her problems, and her heart's infinite duress.

She then noticed Akira's blearily red eyes from across the table, and the obvious signs of fatigue in his posture. Yuuki merely shook her head, pushing the thoughts back into her mind. Now was not the time to be pondering such questions. . . perhaps, when she was alone in the comforts of her own bedroom would she dare dwell into such territory once again.

"I think that it's time you headed off to bed, Akira. You have training again tomorrow, and things will be much tougher than it was today," she said quietly.

Akira without the strength to argue, merely nodded and began padding his way in the direction of his room. He stopped at the door however, as he then turned around — locking his amethyst orbs with Zero's.

"I won't lose to you Zero. . . I'll be a better vampire hunter than you'll ever be. . . and you won't take mommy away from me either!"

All that could be heard in response was the closing of the door, and the suffocating atmosphere that was left in his wake. Yuuki's throat had become completely parched at his words, as her eyes immediately darted towards Zero. Her eyes widened as she realised he too was staring at her with that unwavering, piercing gaze.

She was the first to break eye contact, as she then cleared her throat. To any unknowing observer, she would have seemed utterly unfazed by Akira's words. "Perhaps you should leave for the night. . . Zero. It's getting rather late, and even for a person of your caliber, it is still undeniably dangerous this time of day," she said quietly.

Zero smirked coolly in response, his expression reflective of Yuuki's. "Since when did you start caring and worrying about me? I thought you hated me."

Yuuki scowled, as the snide edge in his voice was not lost on either of them. "I'm merely doing this on Akira's behalf, since he'd be undoubtedly upset if his 'precious teacher' suddenly showed up with a hideous scar on his face."

Zero rolled his eyes, unwilling to entertain her childish charades. If he didn't know any better, then he would have assumed that she was jealous of the mere fact that her position as 'favourite parent' was being threatened.

"You may assume that I've been a fairly rude guest thus far, but I know when to give credit where credit is due. Thanks for the meal. . . Yuuki. It's been a long since I've eaten together with someone," Zero whispered, and if Yuuki hadn't been immersed in their conversation, the quietly uttered words would have been lost on her ears.

His eyes then strayed towards the left over dishes on the table, as he then added as an afterthought, "I'll help you wash the dishes. . . as a sign of my gratitude."

Yuuki didn't even have time to protest, as he then began gathering the dirty dishes and making his way towards the kitchen sink. She sighed, and reluctantly followed after him. Who was she to deny some extra help around the kitchen? What would have been a late night cleaning up, would now be a miniscule chore with his contribution.

After all, these were the tender gestures and little things that Zero had always done that had made her fall in love with him in the first place. Yuuki couldn't help but think that trivial little deeds such as this, reminded her painfully of what it was like before, and what they once had. When they lived together happily with Kaien as children, or that day when he first arrived at her home — bloodstained, battered and undoubtedly broken beyond repair.

She had been wrong to think that she could fix him, and that mistake had cost her in more ways than one. He had been left like shards of shattered glass, and she had scarred her fingers by attempting to put him back together. It had irrevocably hurt them both, and he continued to travel down the road of vengeance, regardless of her intervention.

Yuuki bit down on her bottom lip, chastising herself for thinking of this at such a time. It was through that horrific experience that she learned the past should remained buried, and something so brutally broken should be well and truly left alone.

"You can dry the dishes, while I wash" Yuuki said with a sigh of defeat. She justified it as a means of being civil for Akira's sake, although the excuse sounded weak even to her own ears.

She handed him an apron, and ironically she realised a second too late that they were matching. Yuuki blushed, as she quickly averted her eyes from him — hoping he hadn't noticed such a small, insignificant detail. Zero merely raised an eyebrow at her reaction, but decided not to comment on it.

With them standing side by side next to the kitchen sink, with the only sounds filling the silence being the chinking of dishes — Yuuki's eyes couldn't help but stray to his form, finally taking him in properly since their unwanted reunion.

It was then she realised with great reluctance, that he had become incredibly handsome in their time apart. He was no longer the gangly, teenage boy she remembered from her childhood, but a fine specimen of a man. Zero had filled out in all the right places, and despite his simple attire — Yuuki's trained eyes could easily make out the biceps of his arms, and the sinews of muscles rippling through them.

His broad, strong back radiated power. . . safety. . . and protection. Yuuki could only imagine what it would be like to be welcomed into an embrace by those warm, strong arms. . . snuggling into that undeniably chiseled chest. Years of vampire hunting and his experience in the field had truly made a positive impact on his incredible physique.

Yuuki could now hear the quickening of her heart beat, as the heat rose to her face. She hadn't felt such feelings in a long, long time. . . and she couldn't help but feel horribly plain next to such a handsome man. She quickly dismissed the thought however, since she was a grown woman now. . . and no longer that unconfident, teenage girl.

However, standing there side by side with him — her thoughts began to escape her, as she started to wonder. What if everything that had transpired between them hadn't happened? What if she didn't run away that night? Would they have possibly been able to have a peaceful life like this?

Would they have stood side by side just as they are now, as husband and wife? Would they have gotten married? Perhaps, they would have had another child even?

The thoughts felt like nauseating, open wounds over her heart, and she willed herself not to cry. She had made the right decision, and she knew that with conviction. She had after all, raised Akira all by herself in the most difficult of conditions, and she had made it out alive.

The odds had been utterly against her favour, and despite that she had propelled herself forward with newfound vigor each and every day. Why should she back down now? She and Zero were history, and her past feelings shouldn't have any hold over her decisions now.

Yuuki didn't know what urged her to utter the words that broke the silence between them — but all she knew was that it felt so _right _to do so.

"Being constantly on the run was hard, you know?" She said quietly, her steady gaze trained on Zero's face.

Yuuki silently traced Zero's strong jaw line, his chiseled nose and surprisingly unmarred skin — burning it to memory. It was honestly a miracle that his body was remarkably unscarred after years in his profession and field. Although Zero gave her no indication that he was listening, she knew with every fiber in her being that he was.

She knew him through and through, and regardless of the time they spent apart — her ability to read him with the eyes of a hawk was unchanged. Even though he seemed highly engrossed in the task at hand, she just knew that he longed to return her gaze.

Yuuki continued quietly, "We kept to hidden places. . . places filled with large populations of humans. We've been through practically everything together. I've been a seamstress, a nurse, a teacher, and so many other jobs that I cannot even begin to count. The first year was undeniably difficult, since I was all alone. Newborn vampire children give off an incredibly delectable scent, and is a clear beacon for other vampires to hunt. More so because of the pure blood running through his veins."

"I was on the run every waking moment, and on most nights I had to be on guard. After he was born, things became much easier because we didn't have to move as much anymore. We could stay in some places longer than others, and settle into some semblance of a normal life. Blending in with humans is remarkably easy, as long as you are able to control your. . . cravings."

"But more so than that, it was easier because I wasn't so lonely anymore. He was. . . no, is everything to me and he made the bad days seem not so bad anymore."

"Is that why you named him 'Akira'? Because he is the light of your life?" Zero said quietly.

"Yes. . . and that is why I have to protect him, Zero. I would give up _everything_ if it meant he could remain safe and happy. I didn't want to let him go so soon, but I guess it was inevitable. . . with the rich blood flowing in his veins that any vampire would be dying to sample," she said wryly.

"But then who's going to protect you, Yuuki?" Zero whispered.

Yuuki immediately stiffened at his sudden question, and her mouth couldn't seem to form the right words to reply.

These past few years, her every action, deed and wish had all been for Akira's sake. Never once had she put her needs and desires first, nor did she ever dare to even ponder what she wanted. There was no time. . . no choice to be selfish. Yuuki would never be able to look at herself again if she allowed herself to be.

It didn't matter about her. . . as long as Akira was well, she was content with whatever life brought her — even if it was to death's door.

It was then that she felt his strong arms wrap around her, and all she heard next was the sound of the dish she was holding fall with a clatter into the sink. Her whole form had become rigid with anticipation, as the foreign feeling of him holding her was completely unexpected. He had moved so quickly and silently, that she hadn't even known that he had moved behind her.

After the initial shock had passed, she couldn't help but completely _revel_ in his warmth — something she didn't even know she desired so strongly until now. The contours of his body fit so snugly. . . so _perfectly_ with hers, that it felt like the fitting of the last jigsaw piece in a puzzle. Her heartbeat pounded so loudly against her rib cage, that he could have probably heard it with his enhanced hearing.

All she could feel. . . smell. . . sense. . . was him. She was drowning in him, and the terrifying thing was that she didn't even _mind_. It was then that she felt it — that nostalgic scent wafting into her nose, trigging the craving. . . the burning thirst that she hadn't felt for so long.

She was like a lost traveler stranded in a desert for days on end, and suddenly an oasis had appeared in front of her very eyes — promising her greatest dreams of fulfillment and more. Yuuki reasoned with herself that it was merely the vampiric bloodlust toying with her senses, but she couldn't help but wonder whether her body's need for him was merely physical.

It was screaming to her that only _he_ could sate her, in every sense of the word.

Only after those years of running and consuming blood tablets was she able to hold onto her sanity. She held her form unflinchingly, trusting in her near self-control. And yet, there Zero stood — completely unaware of the effect he was having on her.

"I know that you despise me, for reasons which I have yet to understand. I know that you don't wish for me to be a part of your life, but here I am and there's nothing you can do to change that. I want to protect you, Yuuki . . . and Akira. No matter what you say, Akira is still _my_ son. I don't want him to ever suffer growing up without a mother. . . without a father. Because you know as well as I do Yuuki, that although you have been rather lucky out there so far, your luck can easily run out in the blink of an eye," Zero whispered huskily.

The dangerous edge in his voice had rendered Yuuki speechless, but she was fully aware of what he was implying. He was right, and he was just as cold and logical as she remembered.

He continued, "I should know well enough the pain of . . . losing your loved ones. I want him to grow up happy, as do you Yuuki. Our goals at this point in time are pretty much one in the same. When I look at him, I see myself in his eyes. . . and you, Yuuki. I see so much of you in him that it almost scares me sometimes. I'm not asking you to accept me as a part of your life, nor am I asking you to treat me any different than you are now. But for Akira's sake, I want to protect you."

Yuuki knew that no matter how long she replayed this conversation in her head over and over, nor how much time she spent pouring over his words — her answer would still remain the same.

He was right, after all.

This was no longer about them. It wasn't about their past, their differences, and whatever else that had transpired between them that had irrevocably shattered their relationship. Things didn't have to change between them for this to work, for they could both put aside their doubts and suspicions for a greater cause.

For the sake of their son.

Their goals were one in the same, their paths had now aligned and they were facing the same direction.

Yuuki nodded her acceptance, as she then felt his gentle sigh against her ear. Just this once, would she allow herself to sink into his arms without contemplating the repercussions of what her actions would entail for the future. Just this one time, she wanted to indulge herself in this wonderfully warm sensation. Just once, she wanted to treat herself to something, and be selfish.

She knew that she was probably going to go to hell for this but. . . maybe, just maybe they could make this agreement work. After all, they were like two jigsaw pieces that would be incomplete without the other.

* * *

Author's Note: I know that I haven't updated this in so long, and for that I sincerely apologise. I've been busy with things in real life, but at the same time I just had major writer's block when it came to writing this story. Every time I sat down to write something, no ideas would come to mind. So I took a long break from all writing, and today I decided to sit down and inspiration struck me :D Thank you for all the reviews and kind words from the last chapter, they really helped motivate me to finally get back into this story. As always, reviews will be appreciated!

**— My Endless Love**


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